Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A07269
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The povverfull fauorite, or, The life of Ælius Seianus. By P.M.; Aelius Sejanus, histoire romaine. English
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Matthieu, Pierre, 1563-1621.
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1628
(1628)
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STC 17664; ESTC S112478
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115,738
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158
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per vana promissa Piso Ta. but that Seianus had deceiued him through his vaine promises and that he was not slaine by him but that he had sent one to slay him in the night Death freed Piso but Tiberius and Seianus were accompted neuer the more innocent Per noctâ—s creberrimè acelamatum est Redde Germanicum Suet. and one might euery night heare cries about the Pallace Restore to vs Germanicus This death whether it were voluntary or forced diminished the hatred of the people against Piso and increased it against Tiberius and so much the more in that he had saued his wife and hauing brought this miserable man into the pit would not drawe him forth againe If Piso had left his cause to the course of iustice and law and that he had suffered death as one who neuer had feared it one would haue pittied his misery Confidence lesseneth the infamy of punishment There is no life so odious that ending in publique with constancy and modesty changeth not hatred into pitty pitty into fauour and leaueth not some fauourable opinion of innocency Germanicus his death gaue lesse contentment to Seianus than to Tiberius for this Prince held all their resolutions in check Tiberius knew that so long as he liued he should not be Emperor Our enemies constraine vs to liue regularly and to keepe our life vnreproueable as it were in a thinne dyet Plut. Seianus despaired that he euer could be and that he might dispose of the Empire so absolutely as he did afterwards for this Prince kept him short and as it were in a strict dyet The great affection which he held in the hearts of the great ones middle ones and meane ones mightily crossed his ambition But after his death fortune bare him vp the wind so that his pride and insolence split the sayles of his vessell and of his conduct Tiberius beleeued that he had more authority but he was neuer the lesse mistrustfull imagining that so many friends as Germanicus had left so many conspirators there were and therefore he said that he held the Empire but as a wolfe by the eares Lupum auribus teneo fearing least it should escape him being escaped bite him he feared that euery one had a purpose to take it from him He caused the natiuities of the principle men of Rome to be cast and according as it was reported vnto him that their Starres promised some excellency aboue others he suppressed banished and put them to death He vnderstood that Galba might attaine thereunto and therefore meeting with him the day he was married he said vnto him and thou Galba shalt one day tast of the Empire Dion Tac. and yet hee enterprised nothing against him because this dignitie was fatally destined for him Seianus amongst the precepts of his gouernment had this to nourish distrust alwayes in the heart of Tiberius to the end that he trusting none else might put confidence in him The greater housen which were discended from those braue and generous spirits who were sacrificed for preseruing the libertie of their Countrey were suspected of Tiberius who desired to raise the principality aboue the foundation of Augustus and hatefull to Seianus who could not brooke that vertue should oppose his fortune Libi Drusus being discended by his father from Augustus Liboni proavus Pompeius amita Scribonia consobrini Caesares Tac. and by his mother from Pompey the great was one of the principall yong men of Rome and as this birth giuing hope to his courage gained him respect amongst the great ones so the same was the cause of his fall His youth being forward and without iudgement Defertur moâ—ri res novas Ta. carryed him to thoughts higher then the times permitted them and hee was for this cause alwayes so suspected by Tiberius that being at the sacrifices hee commanded the Master of the Ceremonies to giue to Libo one of the Sacrificers a knife of lead to the end that he should attempt nothing against his person Another time he demaunding audience in secret he caused his sonne Drusus to come thether and feining to haue neede to be supported in his walking hee held fast Liboes right hand who spake to him carrying his eye firmely vpon all his motions This young man had one of the Romane Senators his entire friend who plotted his ruine considering that to aduance his fortune the shortest way Iuvenis improvidus faciliâ— inanibus Ta. was to ruinate those that shadowed that of Sejanus Hee possessed this light spirit that there was some great matter written in heauen for him hee lead him to debauched courses which drew on excessiue expences and he conducted him into those discommodities Hortatur ad luxum aes alienum socius libidinum necessitatum quo pluribus indicijs indagaret Ta. that this naughty friend did nothing but lull him a sleepe with nothing but vaine hopes Necessitie made him dreame to what hee should come and put him into the curiosity to informe himselfe of Astrologers of that which the starres had promised him the ordinary refuge of weake minds that seeke patronage To know more also his friend caused him to conferre with Magicians who demanded of their Deuils that which they knew and who told him nothing true for a little after all his hopes were turned into despaire Tib. non vultu alienatus non verbis commotior cuncta eius dicta factaque cum prohibere posset scire malebat Ta. The Senator reported all this to Tiberius who was glad to see this yong man falne into the pit and yet neuerthelesse he forbore not to shew him good countenance to giue him the estate of a Praetor and sent for him often to his Table Vpon a suddaine he causeth him to be accused to the Senate as of a great enormious and important matter Behold him brought now into the state of an accused man he changeth his garments Reus obsoletiùs vestiebatur Cic. the chiefe Ladies of the Citie being a kinne to him sollicite for him there 's no man will meddle with his defence for when the question is of conspiracy against the Prince all intercessions are suspected and fauours It was not permitted to sicke persons to goe in their Litter but to the dore of the Senate crimes He goeth to the Pallace in a Lectica for this blow being not fore-seene had abated the vigor of his health and sustained by the hand of his brother he entreth the Senate house and when he saw Tiberius a great way off he held vp his hands imploring mercy with great humility This Tigre laid hold with his teeth on all the excellent Spirits of his times A Poet hauing vttered some free words against him Quod in Tragoediâ Agamemnonem probris lacessisset Suet. was put to death not for that but because in a certaine Tragedy he had disgraced Agamemnon and transgressed against the respect due to Kings Tiberius punished the offences
THE POVVERFVLL FAVORITE OR The life of AELIVS SEIANVS By P.M. Nec tibi regnandi veniat tam dira Cupido Virg. 1. Georg. Printed at Paris 1628. The life of AELIVS SEIANVS By P.M. SEeing that Princes dispose soueraignely of their hearts The heart of the Prince is free and is not guided but by the hand of God and that they forme in them loue and hatred to whom and how they please Wee had need therefore to desire that their affections to particular men might be iust and well regulated For if they bee disordered they draw with them publike ruine Excalcâ—â—ntur ad staturam suam redeâ—nt Sen. they render Princes hatefull and their Fauourites miserable when the play is done and that they are vnshod of their high shooes that eleuated them aboue others they are dispoyled of the habits of these personages they represented they returne to their first forme and they come to know that wee must not measure the Statua by the basis that susteynes it nor iudge of a man by his dignitie or fortune The heauens being prouoked against the Romane Empire permitted this deuiating in the minde of Tiberius through the excesse of fauour which hee bare to Aelius Seianus vniting in his person those charges which should haue beene parted amongst many and making him so great that it was difficult for him to vnmake him In the end the ruine of the estate which was the foundation of his greatnesse was likewise the cause of his fall He was the son of Seius Strabo a Knight of Rome borne in Vulsinus a country of Tuscany In his youth he serued Caius Caesar the nephew of Augustus Hee shared in the inordinate and abominable vices of Apicius The expences of Apicius his Kitchin amounted to more then 2. millions of gold H.S. Millies in culinam congessit Sen. Illi tam prauae mentis homini vltima potio saluberrima fuit Sen. that rich prodigall that famous glutton who hauing eaten vp his estate and finding by his accompt that he had no more then 200000. crownes remayning thought himselfe poore and that this sufficed not to maintayne his luxury whereupon he conceyued such an extreame apprehension that death seemed more supportable to him then his pouerty and tooke downe a glasse of poyson hee neuer dranke a better draught then this last which stopped the furious course of his dissolutenesse Seianus hauing attained some name in the profession of Armes Strabo his father presented him to Tiberius to permit that he might associate him in the charge of Colonell of the Pretorian Guardes and from henceforward the Prince began to take pleasure in his watchfulnesse and viuacity and beleeued that this Spirit might one day by his discipline become an instrument apt to doe any thing Hee followed Drusus the Prince whom the Emperour had made Generall of the Army to reduce vnto obedience those who were reuolted in Austria and Hungarie Rector iuueni caeteris periculorum praemiorumque ostentator The first demonstration of Tiberius affection to him was to elect him for Tutor to this Prince and to giue to others the example of merit to attaine rewards and of valor to expose themselues to danger He knew the inward disposition of Tiberius and conformed his owne so perfectly thereunto Tiberium obscurum adversus alios sibi uni incautum intectumque effecit Tacitus that both their hearts seemed to haue but one motion This conformitie entertayned the affection and from thence grew that entire confidence that Tiberius who distrusted all men distrusted not Seianus nor withheld any thing secret or hidden from him This fauour attracted all hearts all eyes followed this new light the Senate communicated to him their weighty affayres and from his mouth receiued their most important dispatches Turba salutatrix euery where one might see ceremonious troopes which searched or attended for him to doe him reuerence The great ones held themselues honoured by his commands if hee speakes hee obligeth them if he regard they are contented they wayt in the morning at the gates of his house they are there at his rising and going to bed others endure the affronts of his doorekeepers whom they bribe to be at the first opening or admission Duras fores expers somni colit Sen. And when they present themselues to the Idoll which they adore happy is hee that can faine the greatest admiration to prayse him or seruitude to flatter him To speake after the minde of some great man to consent to all that is said to admire all that is done to approoue all that he will these are the principall peeces of complement and admiration is euer one continuall part in the office of flattery Incipiente potentia bonis consilijs innotescendum Tacit. In the growing of his grace he was desirous to haue it conceyued that he was founded in a firme resolution to aduance the seruice of the Prince and the good of the weale publique and onely to admit iustice in his actions Palam compositus pudor intus summa adipiscendi libido Tacit. prudence in his counsayle and modesty in his fortune he carried in outward appearance moderation but inwardly ambition but hee flew out in his wastefull expences and prodigalities in the magnificence of his houshold furniture and pictures in the excesse of his sumptuous feasts as if they had beene sacrifices Industria vigilantia haud minus noxiae quoties parando regno finguntur Tac. and in the pride of his Palaces gilded as if they had beene Temples hee was industrious and vigilant to attaine to his ends he had a ready vnderstanding to discouer and to apprehend all sorts of formes accommodating himselfe to plainnesse or seuerity according to the occasions Being sole captaine of the Praetorian guards he caused them to lodge within a quarter of a mile of the city that when there was occasion he might haue them ready at his disposing representing to Tiberius that souldiers being dispersed liued without discipline Lasciuit miles deductus Tac. and that seeing them euery day assembled together in one place the number might breed security to themselues and feare to others and that keeping them farre from the debauchements of the City they might the better be kept in order Vallum statuatur procul vrbis illecebris Tac. This being assented vnto and a lodging assigned he began by little and little to gaine credit and respect in the hearts of the souldiers visiting them in their Corps du Guard calling them by their names endearing the Captaynes and Tribunes Neque ambitu Senatorio abstinebat clientes suos honoribus aut prouincijs ornando Tac. feeding the one with hopes the other with gifts and all with good words whereof he was nothing couetous or sparing To strengthen his party he dressed his speeches and intelligences in the Senate and procured that his friends should be prouided of Commissions and honoured with charges and gouernments knowing that it