a noble and powerful family at Rome, who derived their name from fabo, a bean, because some of their ancestors cultivated this pulse. They were once so numerous that they took upon themselves to wage a war against the Veientes. They came to a general engagement near the Cremera, in which all the family consisting of 306 men, were totally slain, in the year of Rome 277. There only remained one whose tender age had detained him at Rome, and from him arose the noble Fabii in the following ages.

FABIUS MAXIMUS RULLIANUS was the first of the Fabii who obtained the surname of Maximus, for lessening the power of the populace at elections. He was master of horse; and his victory over the Samnites in that capacity nearly cost him his life, because he engaged the enemy without the command of the dictator. He was five times consul, twice dictator, and once censor. He triumphed over seven different nations in the neighbourhood of Rome, and rendered himself illustrious by his patriotism.

FABIUS RUFICUS, an historian in the age of Claudius and Nero. He was intimate with Seneca; and the encomiums which Tacitus passed upon his style, make us regret the loss of his compositions.

Q. FABIUS MAXIMUS, a celebrated Roman, who from a dull and inactive childhood was raised to the highest offices of the state. In his first consulship he obtained a victory over Liguria; and the fatal battle of Thraenum occasioned his election to the dictatorship. In this important office he began to oppose Hannibal, not by fighting him in the open field, like his predecessors, but he continually harassed his army by countermarshes and ambuscades, from which he received the surname of Cunctator or Delayer. Hannibal sent him word, "That if he was as great a captain as he would be thought, he ought to come into the plain and give him battle." But Fabius coldly replied, "That if he was as great a captain as he would be thought, he would do well to force him to fight." Such operations for the commander of the Roman armies gave offence to some; and Fabius was even accused of cowardice. He, however, continued firm in his first resolutions; and patiently bore to see his master of horse raised to share the dictatorial dignity with himself by means of his enemies at home. When he had laid down his office of dictator, his successors for a while followed his plan; but the rashness of Varro, and his contempt for the operations of Fabius, occasioned the fatal battle of Cannae. Tarentum was obliged to surrender to his arms after the battle of Cannae; and on that occasion the Carthaginian army observed that Fabius was the Hannibal of Rome. When he had made an agreement with Hannibal for the ransom of the captives, which was totally disapproved by the Roman senate, he sold all his estates to pay the money, rather than forfeit his word to the enemy. The bold proposal of young Scipio to go and carry the war from Italy to Africa, was rejected by Fabius as chimerical and dangerous. He did not, however, live to see the success of the Roman arms under Scipio, and the conquest of Carthage by measures which he treated with contempt and heard with indignation. He died in the 100th year of his age, after he had been five times consul, and twice honoured with a triumph. The Romans were so sensible of his great merit and services, that the expenses of his funeral were defrayed from the public treasury. His son bore the same name, and shewed himself worthy of his noble father's virtues. During his consulship he received a visit from his father on horseback in the camp. The son ordered his father to dismount; and the old man cheerfully obeyed, embracing his son, and saying, "I wished to know whether you knew what it is to be consul." He died before his father, and Cunctator with the moderation of a philosopher delivered a funeral oration over the dead body of his son.