a town of Austrian Italy, Venice, in a mountain valley on the Maschio, 24 miles N. of Treviso. It has a large market-place, a cathedral, and other churches, convents, schools, and an hospital. Woollen and silk stuffs, as well as paper, are made here; and there is a considerable trade in corn, wine, and honey. Pop. 5131.

SEPTORIUS, QUINTUS, a clever Roman adventurer, was born of respectable parents at the Sabine village of Nursia, late in the second century before Christ. He gave early marks of being a ready speaker and skilful maneuverer, who, to great personal strength, added a stubborn endurance of fatigue. He commenced his military career in Gaul, where, in the bloody battle fought on the Rhone, B.C. 105, he was wounded, and saved his life by swimming across the river, clad in complete armour. Sertorius continued to distinguish himself, now by entering the Teuton camp at Aix as a spy, again by massacring the inhabitants of the town of Castulo in Spain, and anon, after repeated provocation, by spearing 4000 of those slaves whom Marius kept about him as a body guard. In 83 B.C. he was raised from the office of quaestor to that of praetor. After trying, ineffectually, to check the progress of Sulla on his return from the conquest of Mithridates, Sertorius was advised to betake himself to Further Spain, where he could administer the affairs of that province in comparative peace. With a handful of men, and very little means, he made his way to Spain, where he set about raising an army of Roman settlers and Spaniards, and equipping a fleet. While thus engaged, Luscus was despatched by Sulla to oppose the progress of Sertorius. The agile adventurer immediately put to sea, but was attacked by an overwhelming number of Mauritians, and compelled to scud for the Pityussae Islands, where he was joined by some Cilician rovers, who aided him in extinguishing the Roman garrison. Attacked by the fleet of Luscus, and his light ships being harassed by stormy weather, he was forced to land at the mouth of the Guadalquivir, after a wild passage through the Straits of Gibraltar. Having met some seamen who had just arrived, it was said, from the Insulae Fortunatae, Sertorius is reported to have contemplated setting out for those "Happy Isles," where he might spend the rest of his days far away from the strife of men. Ambition, as it generally does, urged him on to his end. He now turned on his former opponents, the Mauritians, and took their king, in the city of Tingis, or Tangier. He afterwards went to aid the Libyans against the Romans. While in Africa he was presented with a fawn, which in time became so tame as to accompany its master wherever he went. The influence of this creature on the superstitious inhabitants of his camp is reported to have been very great. This "fawn of Sertorius" has become famous in literary as well as in political history. Corneille made it the subject of a tragedy, and R. H. E. Landor, in modern times, has chosen it as the subject of a tale. Sertorius had now to face the Roman forces under Metellus and Pompeius. To recount the endless manoeuvres and skirmishes of his guerilla warfare, how suddenly he swept down upon the foe, like a beast of prey, at dusk; how nimbly he withdrew his handful of men as the sleepy foe roused themselves to the full danger of their situation; how quickly he would cross the sierras of Spain with his little band, as if their course was guided by the upper denizens of the air, would be much more than we here have space for, and it must accordingly be sought out in Plutarch's life of Sertorius. In these raids there was often much bloodshed, and Sertorius generally came off with the victory. Some say this active adventurer in time became lazy, and indulged himself with women and wine. It is very certain that his cruelty and suspicion became greater, and not altogether without cause. He had taken Spaniards for his guard, in distrust of his own countrymen. These Iberians were by no means satisfied with the humble rank assigned to them. Yet they were Romans who conspired against him. Invited to a banquet by his own generals, he was suddenly stabbed by Marius Antonius, B.C. 72. Thus ended the war of Sertorius, and Spain now passed into the peaceful possession of Rome. The curious will find considerable resemblance between the exploits of this ill-fated Roman adventurer and an English nobleman, Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough, who achieved such astonishing deeds of arms in the Spanish peninsula during the reign of Queen Anne.