fhould receive the reward which was offered to whoever should bring Themistocles to him.

And from this time Xerxes began to load him with favours: he permitted him to partake of all his paftimes and recreations, and made him fo much his intimate, as to draw upon him the envy of those who had hitherto been in the king's confidence; most writers agree, that he had three cities given him to maintain his table, and two more to furnish him with other neceffaries.

After having taken a view of the principal cities and curiofities of Afia, and been inftructed in all the myfteries of their philofophy and religion, Themiftocles lived quietly in his own house in the city of Magnesia, where for a long time he paffed his days in perfect fecurity. He now was courted by all, prefented with rich gifts, and honoured equally with the greatest perfons in the Perfian empire: and as the king at this time did not trouble himfelf with the concerns of Greece, being inceffantly occupied with the affairs of the upper provinces, Themistocles lived in uninterrupted tranquillity.

But

But, upon receiving advice that the Egyptians, affifted by the Athenians, had revolted, and that Cimon had made himfelf mafter of the feas, the king dispatched messengers to Themiftocles, putting him in mind of his promise to affift him against the Greeks whenever it should be needful; at the fame time he endeavoured to irritate and incenfe him, by reviving in his mind the ill treatment he had formerly received from them.

This, however, had no effect upon Themiftocles; nothing that was faid tended to augment his hatred to the Athenians; neither was he any ways elevated with the thoughts of the honour and powerful command he was to have in this war. But, either imagining that the undertaking would not be attended with fuccefs, (the Greeks having many great commanders, and among them Cimon, who had been wonderfully fuccefsful,) or, chiefly being afhamed to fully the glory of his great actions, by appearing in arms against his native country, he determined to put a conclufion to his exiftence in a manner fuitable to his former glorious deeds, and to make his end agreeable to the whole courfe of his life.

He

He accordingly facrificed to the gods; and having invited his friends, and kindly entertained them, he fhook hands with them, and drank bull's blood, as the general report is; but fome fay that he took poison, which dispatched him in a fhort time. Themiftocles thus ended his days, in the city of Magnesia, having lived fixty-five years, most of which he had spent in the fervice of the state, and in the wars, in governing of countries, and commanding of armies.

The king of Perfia being informed of the cause and manner of his death, admired him more than ever, and continued to fhow kindness to his family and friends.

INSTANCE

INSTANCE THE TENTH.

CAIUS MARIUS *.

"Tis not the trophies of successful war,
The conful's fafces, and triumphal car,
Unfading fame or comfort can beflow,
Or ward, if Heav'n decrees, the adverfe blow.

THIS celebrated Roman, from the obfcurity and indigence of his parents, and the unequalled honours he afterwards. obtained, is entitled to a confpicuous place among these instances of the mutability of for

tune.

The father of Marius (whofe name was the fame as that of his fon) was in fo low a fituation in life, that he fupported himself by his daily labour. Young Marius, however, by a combination of fortunate circumftances, and an inherent valour and refolution, foon

* Plutarch's Lives and Roman Histories.

obliterated

obliterated the obscurity of his birth, and raised himself to the principal dignities in the Roman empire.

The first time we find any mention made of his name, is during the war against the Celtiberii, in which Scipio Africanus commanded, where he so signalized himself at the fiege of Numantia, that he foon attracted the notice of his general: but what equally contributed to his obtaining the favour of Scipio, was his ready compliance with the reformation that commander had made in the army, which was at that period nearly ruined by pleasures and luxury.

of

It is faid, that Marius not only gave proofs

great valour in the different attacks which were made on Numantia, but encountered fingly, and vanquished, a champion of the enemy's, in Scipio's fight, who was so pleased with his fervices, that he conferred several honours upon him, and fhewed him particular refpect, especially once at an entertainment, where Marius was fo highly honoured by his commander, as to be permitted to fup with him.

The difcourfe, while at table, happening to