looseth anker and moderated his course to returne the sooner if Germanicus death should open him a way to Syria Germanicus being a little amended and in some hope then growing feeble againe when his end was at hand he spake to his friends about him in this manner If I should die a naturall death yet should I haue iust cause of griefe against the gods that by an vntimely death they shuold take me in my youth from my kinsfolks children and countrey But now being brought to this passe by the lewde practise of Piso and Plancina I leaue in your breasts for my last prayers that you signifie vnto my father and my brother with what crueltie torne with what fraude circumuented I haue ended my miserable life with a most naughtie death If the hopes conceiued of me haue moued any if neerenes in bloud any yea if enuie towards me when I liued they will weepe that he who hath sometimes flourished and escaped so many battels should now end his life by the guile and treachery of a woman you shall haue occasion to complaine to the Senate and demaund the execution of lawes This is not the chiefest dutie of friends to shew their affection towards the dead by a slow and dull complaint but remember and execute that which they commanded Yea such as knew not Germanicus wil weepe for him If you did rather loue me then my fortune you will reuenge my death Shew the people of Rome Augustus neece and the same my wife and my children which are sixe in number the accusers themselues will haue compassion and those which pretend wicked commaundements shall either not bee beleeued or not pardoned His friends taking him by the right hand swore they would rather lose their life then omit reuenge Then turning to his wife intreated hir by the memorie of him and by the children common betweene them that she would lay aside all haughtines and submit her courage to raging fortune lest returning to the citie she stirred not with emulation of greatnes more powerable then her selfe against her Thus much he vttered openly and other things in secret whereby it was coniectured he stoode in feare of Tiberius Not long after he yeelded vp the ghost with great lamentation of the Prouince and countries about forren nations and Kings lamented also so great was his courtesie to his allies and mildnes to his enimies He was no lesse venerable to those which sawe him than to those which heard of him and did so well temper the greatnes of high estate grauitie that he auoided both enuie arrogancie His funerals although he had neither images nor pompe yet by the commendation and memorie of his vertues were honoured of all men Some there were which compared his fauour his age and manner of death by reason of the vicinitie of the places wherein they died vnto Alexander the great For being both of a comely stature noble parentage not much aboue thirtie yeeres of age they died in strange countries by the trecherie of their owne people But this man was courteous towards his friends moderate in pleasures his children certaine begotten in marriage by one woman Neither was he to be counted a lesse warrior then the other although he were not rash hindered to reduce vnder the yoke of seruitude the Germans daunted with so many victories And if he alone had had the supreme managing of affaires and power a name of a King so much the sooner he would haue carried away the prise renowne of warfare by how much he did excel him in clemencie temperancie other good vertues His bodie before it should be burned was laid naked in the market place of Antioche which was the place appointed for his buriall Whether he shewed any tokens of being poisoned or not it is vnknowen for diuers did diuersly interpretit either as they were inclined to pitie Germanicus or suspected to fauour Piso This being done the Lieutenants the Senators which were present cōsulted amōg themselues whom they should make gouernor of Syria the rest not greatly contending it was long debated betwixt Marsus Gn. Sentius in the end Marsus yeelded to Sentius being his elder prosecuting the suite more eagerlie He sent to Rome one Martina a woman infamous in that Prouince for empoisoning but deerly beloued to Plancina at the suite of Vitellius Veranius others which framed their acusations as against one already guilty of the fact But Agrippina wasted with sorrow feeble of body yet impatient of delaying reuenge took shipping with Germanicus ashes with her and her children all men taking compassion that a woman so nobly descended and who not long since in regarde of her stately marriage was honored and reuerenced by all men should now carrie in her lap those lamentable relickes of her husband incertaine of reuenge doubtfull of herperson so oft exposed to fortunes mercy by her vnluckie fruitfulnes XVIII Piso is doubtfull vvhether he should returne to Syria or not And prepareth an armie against Sentius IN the meane season a messenger ouertaketh and aduertiseth Piso at the Iland Cous that Germanicus was departed Which tidings he receiued intemperately offered sacrifices visited the temples nothing moderating his ioy and Plancina growing more insolent then first changed the mourning weede she ware for the death of hir sister into a ioifull attire The Centurions flocking about him told him that he had the good will of the legions at his deuotion that it was his best to returne to the prouince wrongfully taken from him and now voide of a gouernour Whereupon taking aduise what was best to be done his sonne M. Piso was of opinion that he shoulde make all haste to the citie that there was nothing yet done which might not be answered and that weakesuspicions and vaine reports were not to be feared The variance betweene him and Germanicus was woorthie perhaps of some rebuke but not punishment and by taking the prouince from him his enimies were satisfied But if he should returne Sentius being against him a newe ciuill warre would begin Neither would the Centurions and souldiers continue on his side with whom the fresh memory of their captaine and the loue deepely printed in their harts towards the Caesars woulde preuaile Domitius Celer one of his inwardest friends perswaded the contrarie That he ought to take the time when it was offered that Piso and not Sentius was made gouernour of Syria vnto him were the fasces and dignitie of Pretor giuen to him the legions committed If any violence should be offered by the enimie who should more iustly oppose his armes against them then he who hath receiued the authoritie of a Lieutenant and speciall commission Rumors grow stale and vanish away with time and often the innocent are borne downe with fresh enuie but if he had a power at hand and his forces increased many things which could not be foreseene by meere chaunce might turne to the better Do
of the iniustice of his death That he died for no causes deseruing punishment but Rufus Crispinus and Anicius Cerialis enioyed their life being the Princes enimies Which words were thought to haue bin forged of Crispinus because he was alreadie slaine of Cerialis because he should be slaine Who not long after killed himselfe lesse pitied than the rest as bearing in minde that he had discouered a conspiracie to C. Caesar IIII. The constant death of C. Petronius and what life he led OF C. Petronius a few things aboue recited are heere againe to be repeated He passed the day in sleepe and the night in delightfull sports or other affaires of life And as others industrie so this man slouth had raised to fame a riotous and wastfull spender he was not accompted like many which run through all but vsing riot to his credit And his words and deedes how much the freer and shewing a certaine carelesnes so much the more gratefully receiued as sauoring somewhat of simplicitie Notwithstanding being Proconsull of Bithynia and anon after Consull he shewed himself quick stout and able to wade through great matters Then falling againe to his vices or else shew of vices was receiued amongst Neroes familiar friends as a iudge and arbitrator of his daintiest delights esteeming nothing pleasant or delightfull vnlesse Petronius had approued it Thereupon grew Tigellinus malice against him as against a concurrent or one more skilfull in pleasures then himselfe whetting Neroes crueltie vnto which all other lusts gaue place against him obiecting the friendship he had with Sceuinus corrupting a slaue to be his accuser taking from him all meanes of defence and the greatest part of his familie drawne into prison By chance about that time Caesar went to Campania and Petronius gone as farre as Cumas was there stayed and not able any longer to indure the lingering betweene hope or feare yet did not rashly kill himselfe but cutting his vaines and binding them vp as pleased him opened them againe and talked with his friends though not of any serious matter or worthie to purchase the glorie of constancie but gaue eare to those which discoursed with him yet nothing of the immortalitie of the soule or opinions of wise men but of light verses and easie songs On some of his slaues he bestowed gifts and on some stripes He went sometimes abroade and gaue himselfe to sleepe that although his death was constrained yet it should be like a casuall death Neither in his testament as most men were wont to do did he flatter Nero or Tigellinus or any other fauorite but wrote down the vncleane life of the Prince vnder fained names of stale catamites abused against nature and of women with the strangenes of the abuse of either of them and sealed vp sent it to Nero and brake his seale least afterward it might serue to breede danger to others And Nero doubting how the inuention of his night pleasures should come to light Silia by being the wife of a Senator not vnknowne and abused in all his licentious lusts and very familiar with Petronius came to his minde whom he thrust into banishment as not hauing kept secret those things she had seene and suffered moued thereto by his owne particular hatred rather then rest occasion He deliuered Numicius Thermus once Pretor to Tigellinus priuie hatred because Thermus freed man had layd some criminall matter to Tigellinus charge which he should pay for by torment of torture and his maister by vndeserued death V. Neroes hatred against Thraseas Paetus and Bareas Soranus SO many worthie men being murdered in the end Nero coueted to destroy vertue it selfe by killing Bareas Soranus and Thraseas Paetus of old enemie to both and new occasions rising against Thraseas because he went out of the Senat as I haue alreadie said when Agrippinaes cause was debated because that in the pastime of youth called Inuenales he shewed not so acceptable indeuor as was expected which grudge pearsed the deeplier because the same Thrasea at Padua where he was borne in the Cestian playes instituted by Antenor the Troian sang in tragicall attire The day also that Antistius the Pretor was condemned for outrages against Nero he gaue a milder sentence and obtained it and when the honor of the goddes was ordained for Poppaea absent of set purpose was not at the conuoy of the funerall Which things Capito Cossutianus did not suffer to be forgotten besides his ouer-readie inclination to naughtines enemie to Thrasea because that by his authoritie countenancing the deputies of Cilicia he lost his cause when they pursued Capito for vsing iniustice and extortion in his office He obiected farther That in the beginning of the yeere Thrasea did auoide the oath was not present with the rest at the offering vp of vowes although he were one of the fifteene Priests yet he neuer offered sacrifice for the health of the Prince or heauenly voice that heretofore he hath beene often present and diligent shewing himselfe a fauorer or an aduersarie to the ordinarie consultations of the Lords of the Senate but hath not once entered the Curia this three yeeres and very lately when euery man ran who first might to punish Silanus and Vetus he attended rather on his clients priuat busines that was now a reuolting and a faction and if many durst do the like it would breede to a warre As in times past sayd he the citie desirous of garboile spake of C. Caesar and M. Cato so now of thee ô Nero and Thrasea and hath his adherents or rather followers which imitating though not his obstinacie of opinions yet his behauior and countenance seuere and sterne do cast thy lasciuiousnes in thy teeth This man only is carelesse of thy health no way procuring thy honor he little regardeth the Princes prosperous successes What is he not filled with thy griefes and sorrowes It proceedeth from the selfesame minde not to beleeue Poppaea to be agoddesse and not sweare to obserue the ordinances of Augustus and Iulius of famous memorie He despiseth holie things abrogateth lawes The diurnals of the people of Rome are curiously read in the prouinces and campe that it might be knowen what Thrasea hath not done Either let vs condiscend to his ordinances if they be better or let the captaine and author be taken away from desires of nouelties This sect brought forth the Tuberones Fauonians vnpleasing names to the auncient common wealth That they may ouerthrow the state they pretend libertie but if they should ouerthrow it they will giue an assault to ouerthrow libertis likewise Invaine thou hast extinguished Cassius if thou wilt suffer the followers of Brutus to grow and take head In fine write thou nothing of Thrasea leaue vs the Senate arbitrator of the cause Nero extolleth Cossutianus stoutnes whet on with choler and ioyneth with him Marcellus Eprius of a quick and liuely eloquēce As for Barea Soranus Ostorius Sabinus a Romaine gendeman had required he might accuse him
which was the first time that Tiberius shewed himselfe greedie of other mens money Sosia was driuen into banishment by Asinius Gallus Consull who also aduised that part of the goods should be confiscate part left vnto his children But Lepidus contrarily that the fourth part of the goods should be giuen to the informers according to the law and the residue to his children I finde that this Lepidus was in those dayes a graue and wise man who altered into the better many things which others by cruell flatterie had ordained which he did with such moderation that he kept in with Caesar in no lesse fauour then authoritie Which causeth me to doubt whether it happen as in other things by fatall destinie and natiuitie that Princes are fauorably enclined to some and to others hardly bent or whether anything consist in our counsels to single out a course free from ambition and danger betweene selfewill stubbornes and filthy flattery But Messallinus Cotta being no lesse nobly descended differing from Lepidus was of opinion that by decree of Senat it should be ordained that gouernors of prouinces though faultles themselues yet should be punished for their wiues crimes no lesse then for their owne VI. Calphurnius Piso accused and condemned The last vvarre vvith Tacfarinas and his death AFter this they debated Calphurnius Pisos case a noble man and of a fierce courage He as I haue said seeing what credit pickthanks were in openly protested in Senate that he woulde depart the citie and little regarding the authoritie of Augusta was so bolde as to sommon Vrgulania out of the princes house which Tiberius for the present seemed not to take in euill part But bearing it in minde although the heate of displeasure was cooled yet he forgat it not Granius also accused Piso of secret speeches vsed against the maiestie of the emperour adding that he had poison in his house and that he entered the Senate house with a weapon This of the weapon was past ouer as not credible but for other things aggreuated against him he was arrained but not conuicted bicause he was preuented by death Afterward Cassius Seuerus cause was handeled a banished man of base parentage and lewde life but a great Orator Who had raised so many enimies against him that by the iudgement of the Senate sworne he was confined to Creet where following the like practises drew on his head old and new hatred and at last being depriued of all his goods and banished spent the rest of his life in the Ilande Seriphium About the same time Plautius Siluanus Pretor the cause why not knowen threwe his wife Apronia downe headlong from a high place And being brought before Caesar by L. Apronius his father in lawe as a man troubled in minde answered as though she had killed hir-selfe when he was a sleepe and wholy ignorant of the matter Tiberius goeth foorthwith to his house and searcheth the chamber where he perceiued by the print of hir feete tokens of hir striuing against him and the thrusting of hir foreward which he reported to the Senate And Iudges appointed to examine the fact Vrgulania Siluanus grandmother sent hir nephewe a poniard to dispatch himselfe which some thought to haue beene done by the princes counsell by reason of the league of friendship betwixt Augusta and Vrgulania Siluanus hauing tried in vaine to kill himselfe with the poniard in the end caused his vaines to be cut Not long after Numantina his first wife accused by charms and witchcrafts to haue put hir husband out of his wits found innocent is quit by the prince That yeare the people of Rome was deliuered of a long warre against Tacfarinas the Numidian For the captaines which till then had beene sent against him hauing obtained the markes of triumph sought no further how to extinguish the enimie For there were now three images in the citie crowned with baies and Tacfarinas still continued spoiling and forraging Affrica and augmented his forces by the aide of the Moores which vnder Ptolemy Iubaes sonne a carelesse youth changed their seruile state and gouerment of freed men into warre The king of the Garamantes was a receiuer and partaker of his booties and pillages not that hee marched with an armie but onely by sending light horsemen which a farre off were thought to be more then indeed they were And in the prouince it selfe some for need and som of a turbulent humor ioined with him bicause Caesar considering how well Blaesus had bestirred himselfe called home the ninth legion as though there had beene no enimies left at all in Affrica And Dolabella Proconsull for that yeere durst not staie them fearing more the commandement of the prince then the incertaintie and danger of the warre Vpon this Tacfarinas gaue it out that the Romans had their hands full were distracted with other nations and therefore purposed by little and little to retire out of Affrike And then that the rest might easilie bee ouercome if all which preferred libertie before seruitude woulde ioine and couragiously bend their forces against them and gathering more strength encampeth before Thubuscum and laieth siege to it But Dolabella drawing all the forces hee could make into one partly the name of the Romans striking a terror into their harts partly bicause the Numidian is not able to indure the force of the footemen at the first encounter leuied the siege fortified the most conuenient places and withall beheaded the chiefest of the Musulani which began to reuolt In the end taught by experience of so many battels that this fleeting enimie was not to be pursued with a maine campe Dolabella sent for King Ptolemy with his countriemen and diuided his forces into fower companies vnder the charge of seuerall Lieutenants and Tribunes The out-riders and forragers were conducted by certaine chosen Moores himselfe at hand to giue direction to all Not long after tydings came that Tacfarinas had encamped and erected cabins at an old ruinous fort which himselfe had once burnt called Auzea trusting to the place being inuironed with mightie great woods Then the light horsemen and wings not knowing whither were lead away withall speed And at the dawning of the day with the sound of trumpets and a dreadfull noise set on the enimies halfe sleeping halfe waking their horses vnreadie or dispersed abroad at pasture The Romans footemen were close ranked the troupes of horsemen in good order all things in a readines for battell The enimie on the other side in all things vnprouided had neither weapons order nor counsell among them but were haled taken and slaine like beasts And euerie souldier irked with the remembrance of his labours and how oft desirous to cope with the enimie he had beene deluded fild himselfe with reuenge and blood Aduertisement was brought from one companie to another to pursue Tacfarinas well knowen to them all and that there would be no ende of that warre if the Captaine were not slaine But he with a chosen
eies whom thou dost inrich whom thou dost aduance to honours who haue greatest power of hurting or helping which Seianus to haue had no man will denie The Princes hidden thoughts or if he go about any secret drift it is not lawfull to sound and dangerous neither shalt thou in the end reach vnto them Thinke not onely Lords of the Senat of Seianus last day but of sixteene yeeres in which we did likewise fawne vpon and court Satrius and Pomponius and to be knowen to his freed men and partners was reckoned as a high fauour What then Shall this defence be generall and not distinguished but a confusion made of times past and his later actions No but let it by iust bounds and termes be diuided Let the treasons against the common-wealth the intentions of murdering the Emperour be punished but as for the friendship duties pleasures and good turnes the same ende shall discharge and quite thee O Caesar and vs. The constancie of his oration one being found to deliuer that which they all thought in their mindes preuailed so much that his accusers by ripping vp their old faults were punished either with exile or death III. The occasion of making a Prefect at Rome an examen of some of the Sibyls bookes AFter that Tiberius sent letters against Sext. Vestilius sometime Pretor and welbeloued of Drusus his brother chosen to be one of his garde The cause of displeasure against Vestilius was either bicause he had composed certaine writings against Caesars vncleane life or falsly fathered vpon him gaue credit to the reporters and therupon being banished the Princes court familiarity hauing first gone about with his owne olde feeble hand to slaie himselfe bound vp his vaines and in the meane space hauing entreated the Princes fauour and receiued arigorous answere did at last open them Then at once were accused of treason Annius Pollio Appius Silanus Scaurus Mamercus Sabinus Caluisius Vicinianus also brought in with his father for companie all of them well descended and some in authoritie The Lords of the Senat quaked for feare for how manie was there which was not either allied or a friend of one of those noble men But Celsus Tribune of the citie-cohort and then an informer deliuered Appius and Caluisius from danger Caesar deferred Pollioes Vicinianus Scaurus cause that himselfe might haue the hearing of it with the Senators hauing giuen out alreadie tokens of heauie displeasure against Scaurus Not so much as women but were partakers of danger and if not attainted for attempting to aspire to the Empire yet brought in question for their teares and Vitia an old woman Fusius Geminus mother was put to death bicause she bewailed the death of her sonne These things were done in Senat. And where the Prince was the like was practised Vescularius Atticus and Iulius Marinus two of his most familiar friends which accompanied him to Rhodes and at Capreas neuer departed from him were put to death Vescularius was the Messenger to and fro when the treacherie was wrought against Libo Marinus was of Seianus counsell when he put Curtius Atticus to death most men being glad to see them taken in the snare they laid for others About the same time L. Piso high Priest died a naturall death which was a rare matter in those times in a man of so great nobilitie He neuer of himselfe propounded any matter which smelled of flatterie or base minds if he were forced thereto he vsed great moderation in doing it His father as I haue alreadie saide had beene Censor he liued to the age of fowerscore hauing in Thrace deserued the triumphall ornaments But his greatest credit rose in that that being newly created Prouost of the citie he did gouerne exceeding moderately all the time of his continuall rule irkesome through vnwontednes of obedience For in times past when the Kings or Consuls went out of the citie least she should be left without gouernment there was one chosen for a time able to giue euery man right prouide for all sudden accidents And it is said that Dentres Romulius had the same charge giuen him by Romulus after that Numa Marcius by Tullus Hostilius and Spurius Lucretius by Tarquinius Superbus Then that the Consuls had the charge of committing this office and a shadow of it continueth vnto this day as oft as the Latine feasts are folemnised one is appointed ouer the rest to exercise the roome of a Consull But Augustus in the time of ciuill warres made Cilnius Maecenas a gentleman Prouost ouer Rome and all Italie Then being Lord and Master of the Empire by reason of the greatnes of the people and slow aide which the lawes affoorded he chose out one of such as had been Consuls to bridle the bondmen and such citizens as through audaciousnes would grow troublesome vnlesse they stood in awe The first that receiued that authoritie but kept it but awhile was Messalla Coruinus as vnable to discharge it Then Taurus Statilus although he were verie aged went through it with great commendation After that Piso was well liked for the space of twentie yeeres and by order of the Senat honoured with publick funerals It was afterward propounded before the Lords of the Senat by Quinctilianus Tribune of the people concerning the Sibyls booke which Caninius Gallus one of the fifteene requested might be receiued among other books of the same prophetesse and demanded it might be so established by decree of Senat which being giuen by common consent Caesar sent letters somewhat reprehending the Tribune as ignorant of the old custome by reason of his youth and vpbraided Gallus that being old and practised in the science and ceremonies neuertheles had demanded the opinion of the Senators not fully assembled the author being vncertain and before the colledge had yeelded their iudgment neither as the custome was the verses hauing been read and waighed by the maisters Withall he aduertised them because that many vaine things were published vnder the name of famous men that Augustus had vnder penaltie set downe a day within which such bookes should be brought to the citie-Pretor and that it was not lawfull for any to haue them in their priuat possession The like decree was established by our predecessors also and after that the Capitol was burnt in the ciuill war their verses were sought in Samum in Ilium Erythrum through Affrike also Sicily and the colonies of Italie whether they were one or many the busines being committed to the Priests to distinguish the true prophecies from the false as neere as might be by the iudgement of man And then also the booke was referred to the examination of the fifteene When the same men were Consuls through a dearth of corne and other prouisions they grew almost to a commotion and many things for many dayes together were in the Theater more licentiously demaunded with great eagernes then the manner had beene to demaund things of the Emperour Whereat being moued he
they had promised the Tribes came to meete him the Lords of the Senate in their holy-daie robes wiues and children placed according to their age and sexe and all the way he should goe builded with staires as in publicke shewes or triumphes Thereupon puffed vp with pride as a conquerour of publicke seruitude he went to the Capitoll and gaue thanks to the gods letting loose the raines to all lusts and licenciousnes of life which before badly restrained yet the reuerence towards his mother such as it was did in some sort bridle IIII. Neroes exercises IT was an old practise of his neuer to be absent from the race of chariots and no lesse vnseemely was that other delight of his at supper to sing to the harp as minstrels did which he said to haue beene a custome of auncient Kings and Captaines and a thing highly commended by Poets and attributed to the honor of the gods For melodie is sure dedicated to Apollo in that attire he doth stand not only in the cities of Greece but also in the temples at Rome a principall deitie and knowing things to come Neither could he now be remoued seeming good also to Seneca and Burrhus to yeeld him the one least he should persist in both And thereupon a space was inclosed in the valley of the Vatican to mannage his horses and not to be seene indifferently of euery man and not long after of his owne accord he called the people to see it who highly extolled him as the manner of the people is to be desirous of pastimes and very glad if the Prince draw them to it And his shame published abroad brought him not as it was thought it would any loathing therin but a farther prouocation thinking that the discredit would be shaken off if he could dishonor many with the like He brought to the skaffold many descended of noble houses bought for pouertie which because they be dead I will not name as hauing regard vnto their auncestors being rather his fault to giue money for ill doing then least they should commit that which is naught He constrained also the chiefe gentlemen of Rome with mightie gifts to promise their labour in the Theater vnlesse you say that a reward giuen by him who may commaund bringeth a necessitie in obeying Yet least he should be discredited by the publick Theater he instituted Playes called Iuuenalia as it were for the health of youth to which euery man willingly gaue his name not any ones nobilitie not his age or office borne being any hinderance vnto them but that Greekes and Latins exercised the arte of a stage player euen vnto gestures and measures vnseemely for men Yea noble women practised many gestures and vnseemely to their calling And in the wood which Augustus planted about the lake where he represented a sea fight Tauernes and meeting places were built where all prouocations of wanton lusts were sold where money was giuen to the good to spend of necessitie and to the intemperate to glory and brag of From thence sprang all lewdenes and infamie neuer at any time not when there was great corruption in manners in times past more dissolute lasciuiousnes vsed then at those impure assemblies Shame is scarse retained among men of honest example much lesse among such which striued who should haue most vices can chastitie and modestie or any good behauior be maintained Last of all Nero himselfe entereth on the stage tuning and playing on his instrument with great care and premeditating what to say his familiars assisting him and besides them a cohort of souldiers Centurions and Tribunes and Burrhus both grieuing and praising him Then also were first inrowled the gentlemen of Rome called Augustani men for their age and strength of body highly esteemed part of them shamelesse and saucy in behauior and part hoping thereby to rise to greater authoritie day and night with clapping of hands made all to ring of them commending the feature and voice of the Prince with termes attributed to the gods and were respected by him as honorable personages for their vertue And yet least the Emperours skill on stage only and musick should be published he desired to be well accompted of for versifying hauing gathered about him such as had any cunning therein much more such as were excellent They sate together * and made those verses hang together which he made there or elsewhere and supplied his words howsoeuer they were vttered which the fashion it selfe of his verses doth declare not running with one and the same vehemencie and vaine of writing He bestowed also some time after meate with Philosophers taking pleasure to heare how euery man defended his owne opinion and ouerthrew the contrarie Neither wanted there some which with their voice and graue countenance desired to be thought pleasant with the Emperour V. A strife betweene the inhabitants of Nuceria and the Pompeians ABout the same time of a light quarrell rose a great murder betweene the inhabitants of Nuceria and Pompeians at a shew of fencers which Liuineius Regulus put from the Senate as before I haue rehearsed represented to the people For first prouoking one another with bitter termes as it is often seene in malapert and saucie townesmen they came to stones and last of all to weapons the Pompeians being the stronger with whom the shew was set forth Many of the Nucerians were brought lame and wounded to the towne and many wept for the death of their children and parents the determining of which the Prince referred to the Senate the Senate to the Consuls And the cause being againe brought to the Senators the Pompeians were forbidden to assemble any such companies for tenne yeeres and their corporations erected against the lawes dissolued Liuineius and such others as raysed the sturre were banished Pedius Blaesus also was put from his Senators roome at the information of the Cyrenensians who layd to his charge that he had robbed the treasure of the god Aesculapius and mustered souldiers for money and suite The same Cyrenensians accused Acilius Strabo sometime Pretor and sent by Claudius as arbitrator of certaine lands which once belonging to King Apio and left to the people of Rome with the kingdome their neighbours possessed and occupied and by long licence and iniurie defended them to be theirs by right and equitie The lands therefore being giuen from them by sentence they enuied the iudge and the Senate answered they were ignorant of Claudius pleasure and that they should aske the Princes aduise The Prince approuing Straboes sentence wrote neuertheles that he would ayde the allies and giue them that which they had vsurped There died not long after Domitius Afer and M. Seruilius two notable personages which flourished with great honors and eloquence he in pleading of causes Seruilius famous for long frequenting the Forum and then for writing the Romane histories carriage of himselfe and neatnes of life which made him more renowned as equall to the other in wit yet
to go together by the eates because the eight legion demaunded Sirpicus a Centurion to death whom the fifteenth defended if the ninth legion had not interposed her selfe first by way of intreatie then menacing such as made light of them VII Drusus is sent to appease the rebellion in Pannony and the ringleaders punished WHen Tiberius had intelligence of these mutinies although he were close and a great dissembler of bad tidings resolued to send his sonne Drusus vnto these legions with certaine of the principallest Gentlemen of the citie and two Pretorian bands without any limited commission but to determine there as occasion best required These bands were of extraordinary choise men and stronger then any other were vsed to be and a great part of his gard of horsemen and the ablest Germans of his owne gard Aelius Seianus also Captaine of the gard was sent with him once an associate and companion to Strabo his father and a man highly in credit with Tiberius as well to be a guide to the yong Prince as to shew vnto others the danger or reward of ill or well doing When Drusus was come neere vnto them the legions met him as it were to do their dutie but not as the manner was cheerefully with glittering ensignes but in base and abiect habit and in countenance although pretending sadnes yet in deede were neerer wilfull obstinacie After he was entered the trench of the camp they set a strong gard at the gates commanded some troupes to attend at certaine places of the camp and the rest came and enuironed the Tribunall in huge multitudes Drusus stoode vp and with his hand commaunded silence to be made When the souldiers beheld what a multitude they were they made a dreadfull noise with hideous tunes then anon turning their eyes towards Caesar they quaked for feare after that they made a confuse murmuring and buzzing then a cruell outcry and on a suddaine all was husht againe which bred as men were diuersly affected either a feare in themselues or in others At last the tumult ceasing he read his fathers letters which contained what a speciall care he had ouer those most valorous legions with whome he had sustained many battels and that as soone as his minde could be at rest and the mourning for his father past he would deale with the Lords of the Senate concerning their demaunds that in the meane space he had sent his sonne which should graunt without delay as much as for the present could conueniently be yeelded and that the rest should be reserued to the consideration of the Senate whom it was conuenient should iudge as well what deserued fauour as rigor and seueritie They answered all in generall that Clemens the Centurion had charge to propound their demaunds he began with licence to depart after sixteene yeares with recompence after the end of their seruice and that their wages might be a denarius a day that the old souldiers should not be constrained to continue vnder ensignes But when Drusus began to pretend that these were fit matters to be referred to the Lords of the Senate and his fathers consideration they cut off his speech with clamors expostulating That seeing he had no authority to augment their pay nor ease them of their labor nor benefit them any way to what purpose was he come thither But to beate and put them to death euery man had authoritie It was an old trick of Tiberius to frustrate the legions desires with the name of Augustus and Drusus doth now put the same in practice Shall they neuer haue any sent them but such as are vnder the power of another It was strange that the Emperour should referre only that to the knowledge of the Senate which concerned the souldiers commoditie It were as requisite the Senators aduise should be knowne when a souldier should be punished or brought to fight in battell Did it stand with reason there should be maisters appointed to dispose of their rewards and recompence and that without any iudge their punishments should be arbitrary At last they go from the Tribunal and threaten with their fists those they met of the gard or Caesars friends and familiars as desirous to pick quarrels and raise sedition But they bare a speciall grudge vnto Cn. Lentulus because that he for his yeares and experience in martiall feates in greater reputation then the rest was thought to animate Drusus against the souldiers and first of all reiect their licentious demaunds Whom not long after foreseeing the danger he was in going with Caesar to the standing camp they enuironed him asking whither he went towards the Emperour or towards the Senate whether there he would be also against the legions profit And withall comming fiercely vpon him and throwing stones at him all embrued in bloud and certaine of present death yet was succoured by such as came with Caesar That night which menaced great disorder and outragious behauiour was quieted by a meere chaunce For the Skie being cleere and bright yet the Moone seemed to be eclipsed on a sudden which the souldiers being ignorant of the cause construed as a presage of present ill lucke and comparing their attempts to the eclipse were of opinion that their successe should be prosperous if the goddesse should become cleere and bright againe Whereupon they began with Trompets Cornets and other brazen instruments to make a lowd noise now ioyfull now sad as the Moone appeared either cleere or darke But when the black clowdes rising tooke from them the sight of the Moone supposing she had bene hidden in darknes and vtterly lost her light as troubled minds fall easily into superstition they began to complaine and lament that that portended their labours should haue no end and that the gods turned their faces from their wickednes Caesar thinking it expedient to make his profit of their feare and gouerne that by wisedome which fortune had offered commaunded the Pauillions to be viewed Clemens the Centurion to be called and such others as for their laudable vertues were best liked of the common sort who thrusting themselues into the watch the wardes and gate-keepers increased sometimes their feare and sometimes promised hope saying How long shall we besiege the Emperors sonne what shall be the end of our reuolt shall we sweare allegeance to Percennius and Vibulenus shall we looke for our pay at their hands shall they reward the old souldiers with lands to be briefe shall they take vpon them the gouernment of the Romane Empire in Neroes and Drusus stead were it not better that as we were the last which offended so we should be the first to repent Demaunds in common are slowly graunted a priuat fauour is no sooner deserued then obtained These speeches troubled their mindes and bred a mistrust among themselues the yong souldiers forsooke the old and one legion parted from an other By little and little they returned to their allegeance went from the gates which before they possessed carried to
into wipe away this blot and conuert this priuate rancor to the destruction of the enemie And you in whom I perceiue another countenance and another will if you purpose to restore the Embassadors to the Senate yeeld dutifull obedience to the Emperour and me my wife and sonne withdraw your selues from the contagion of the seditious and go from them which haue beene the authors of this rebellion that shall be a sure token of your repentance and a bond of fidelitie With these speeches the souldiers humbling themselues confessed all to be true which was vpbraided them and besought him that he would punish the faultie and pardon those which were seduced and bring them against the enemie recall his wife and the legions child and not deliuer him to the Gaules for an hostage Germanicus excused the returne of his wife by the neerenes of her time and winter yet that his sonne should returne againe and as for other things that they themselues should see them performed The souldiers then being better perswaded ran from place to place layd hands on the most disordered persons and brought them bound before C. Cetronius Colonel of the first legion who gaue iudgement and punishment on euery of them in this manner The legions called together stoode with their swords drawne before the Tribunal and the offender shewen by the Tribune out of a high seate and if the souldiers did cry that he was guiltie he was immediately throwne downe headlong and cut in peeces the souldier reioysing in these massacres as though himselfe thereby had bene acquited Germanicus did not hinder them at all seeing that being done without his commaundement as well the fact as the enuie of it should light vpon their owne necks The old souldiers following that president were anon after sent to Raetia vnder colour of defending the prouince from the inuasion of the Sweuians but in deede to draw them from those garrisons yet breathing of crueltie no lesse by that cruel meanes of redresse then memorie of their former outrages This done he tooke a suruey of the Centurions who being called by the Captaine told their names degrees and countrey what payes they had receiued and how many yeares what exploits they had done in seruice and with what donatiues rewarded If the Tribunes and legions approued their valour and integritie they kept their roomes if by common consent couetousnes or crueltie were laid to their charge they were cassirde Things thus setled for the present there arose immediately a matter of no lesser waight then the former through the headie insolencie of the fift and one and twentith legion lodged in winter standings threescore miles off at Vetera For they first led the daunce and with their owne hands committed the lewdest outrages Nothing terrified with their fellowes punishment continued impenitent and still harbored anger in their breasts Whereupon Caesar gathereth forces prepareth a Nauy with confederates and allies to send downe the Rhene purposing if they were obstinate to try it out in a maine battell No tidings being all this while brought to Rome of the successe in Illyricum and vnderstanding of the rising of the Germaine legions the citie trembling with feare began to blame Tiberius that counterfeiting a doubtfulnes of taking on him the Empire mocked the Lords of the Senate the weake vnfurnished common people and suffered the seditious in the meane time to rebell which by the weake authoritie of two yong men could not be suppressed That he should therefore haue gone himselfe in person and opposed his imperiall maiestie against them at whose sight they would presently haue yeelded being by long experience skilfull and carrying with him power to punish or reward If Augustus striken in yeares could make often iourneies into Germanie should Tiberius being of a strong and able bodie sit in the Senate carping the Senators words He had taken good order how to keepe the citie in seruitude and that it was now time to applie some medicine to the souldiers minde to induce them to a disposition of peace Notwithstanding Tiberius standing stiffe in his determination resolued not to forsake the head of the empire and hazard himselfe and the whole state Many things troubled his minde as that the Germane armie was the strongest and the Pannonian neere at hand the one leaning to the strength of the Gaules the other lying in the confines of Italie doubtfull himselfe which first to go to least the other being postposed should take it in disdaine But his sonnes might visit both as a thing standing well with imperiall maiestie bearing greater state farthest off The yoong men might be excused if they referred some things to their father and if they should resist Germanicus and Drusus he should be able to appease or ouerthrowe them But if they should set light by the Emperor what remedie could be then looked for Neuertheles as though he would depart out of hand he made choise of his followers prouided his carriages in a readines prepared shipping then excusing himselfe now with the hardnes of the winter now with this now with that he deceiued first the wise then the vulgar sort and the prouinces a very long time XI The first and the ninth legion kill many of the rebels Germanicus ouer commeth the Marseans beateth dovvne the temple of Tanfana The death of Iulia. BVt Germanicus although he had an armie in a readines to reuenge vpon the rebels thinking it conuenient neuertheles to giue them some respite to see whether they would be reclaimed by the example of the other legions sent letters before to aduertise Cecina that he was comming with a power and that if they would not punish the offenders before his comming he would without any respect make a generall slaughter of them all These letters Cecina secretly imparted to the standard and ensigne bearers and the better sort perswading them to deliuer all in generall from infamie and themselues from death For in time of peace each mans cause and merit was waighed but in warre the guiltie and guiltlesse perished alike They then sounding the mindes of those they thought fittest and finding the greater number of the legionarie soldiers to continue dutifull following the Lieutenants aduice set downe a time when to cut off the lewdest and most seditious among them Then the watch-word giuen they breake into their tents slue them none priuie to the cause but such as were of counsell in the enterprise neither imagining the beginning nor the ende of this butcherie The strangest manner of ciuill warre that euer happened was this for without order of battell not sallying out of diuers standings but out of the same beds in which they had eaten by day and slept by night they banded into factions lanced their dartes outcries were heard wounds giuen blood shed but the cause vnknowen fortune ruled the rest and some honest men were slaine among But it was no sooner knowne against whom this watch was intended but the worst persons snatched their
Ancona went by Picenum and after by the Flaminian way ouertooke the legion which was brought from Pannony to Rome to lye in garrison in Affricke being common in euery mans mouth how in the campe and in the way he did often shew himselfe to the souldiers From Narnia whether it were to auoide suspition or because such as stand in feare are irresolute in their determinations being conueyed by Nare and anon after by Tiber he increased the euill will of the people towards him because he landed neere the Caesars tombe on a day when the shore was full of people many followers after him and Plancina accompanied with a traine of women both pleasant and cheerefull in countenance Among other causes of enuie and hart-burning Pisoes house was one looking on the market place trimmed to feast and banket in where nothing could be hidden The next day Fulcinius Trio accused Piso before the Consuls Vitellius and Veranius and the rest which had followed Germanicus alleaged that that was their office and that Trio had no part therein and that as witnesses and openers of the cause and not as accusers they were to report that which Germanicus had giuen them in charge Trio relinquishing the accusation obtained licence to accuse his former life and the Prince intreated to receiue the hearing of the cause to himselfe which the defendant refused not as misdoubting the Senators and peoples good will and contrary being well assured that Tiberius regarded not rumors but would leane to his mothers conscience and that the truth or things beleeued and wrested to the worst might easilier be discerned by one iudge whereas hatred and enuie beare the sway where there are many Tiberius was not ignorant how waightie a cause he vndertooke and how diuersly he was censured and therefore calling some of his familiar friends about him hearing the menaces of the accusers then the request of the partie arraigned referred the whole cause to the Senate In the meane season Drusus returning from Illyrium although the Senators had decreed that for receiuing of Maroboduus and exploits done the sommer past he should enter the citie ouant or with a small triumph yet deferring that honor for the time he entered priuately After that Piso had demauded T. Arruntius Fulcinius Asinius Gallus Aeserninus Marcellus Sext. Pompeius for his aduocates and all of them alleaging diuers excuses M. Lepidus L. Piso and Liueneius Regulus vndertooke his defence the whole citie being attentiue to know how Germanicus friends would stick vnto him what hope the partie arraigned had whether Tiberius were able to maister his affections or would shew himselfe All these things were greedily expected of the people neuer shewing themselues more attentiue nor at any time licencing themselues a more secret speech of the Prince or suspicious silence The day that the Senat met Caesar made a premeditate oration tempered in this sort saying That Piso had beene his fathers Lieutenant and friend and giuen by him to Germanicus as a coadiutor by the authoritie of the Senate in the administration of the affaires of the East but whether he had there exasperated the yong Prince through disobedience and contention and whether he had shewed himselfe glad of his death or villanously had made him away that they should iudge of that with vpright consciences For if being Lieutenant he hath gone beyond the bounds of his office and shaken off his dutie to his lord generall and reioysed in his death and my griefe I will hate him and estrange him from my house and reuenge not the Princes but priuat grudges If any villanous deede be detected in him worthie of reuenge euen in the death of any priuat person affoord your selues and Germanicus children and vs his father reasonable and iust comfort And examine also whether seditiously and mutinously Piso hath stirred vp the armie whether by ambition he hath sought to win the fauour of the souldiers whether he returned into the prouince by force of armes or whether these things be false and made greater then they are by the accusers with whose ouergreat affection I haue iust cause to be offended For to what purpose should his body be shewen naked be handled of the common people and bruted abroade among strangers as though he had beene empoisoned if these things be yet vncertaine and are to be inquired of I lament truely and am greeued for my sonne and alwaies shall But I hinder not the defendant to alleage all he can for the purgation of his innocencie or if Germanicus had any fault woorthie of reprehension And I beseech you not to take the crimes as already prooued bicause the cause is ioined with my sorrow If either his neernes in bloud or his owne faithfulnes hath yeelded him anie to defende his cause helpe him as much as in you lieth either by your eloquence or care in this his extremitie To the same labour and constancie I exhort the accusers Germanicus this onely priuiledge we will affoord aboue the lawes that his death shall be rather inquired of in the Curia then in the Forum before the Senat then other Iudges Let all the rest be debated with like modestie nothing regarding Drusus teares or my griefe or if anie slaunders be forged against me After that the accusers had two daies giuen them to bring in their accusations after sixe daies were past the defandāt had three more to iustifie himselfe Then Fulcinius began with stale and friuolous matters as that he had gouerned Spaine ambitiously and couetously Whereof being conuicted he could not be interessed if he could purge himselfe of the later crimes nor if he could defend himselfe from that accusation yet was he not acquitted if greater matters were laide to his charge After him Seruaeus and Veranius and Vitellius with like affection but Vitellius with greater eloquence obiected that Piso for hatred to Germanicus and desire of innouation had so farre corrupted the common soldier with licentiousnes and iniuries towards the confederates that of the lewdest sort he was called the father of the legions Further that he had vsed crueltie against euery good man and especially against Germanicus followers friends in the end that he had killed him with poison and inchantments Then that he and Plancina vsed wicked ceremonies and sacrifices that he had borne armes against the common-wealth that he woulde neuer haue appeared in iudgement had he not been ouercome in battell In manie things his defence was weake for he coulde not denie but that he had woone the soldier by ambition or that he had not exposed the prouince as a praie to the lewdest sort nor the iniurious speeches against the generall Onely he seemed to haue purged himselfe of the empoisoning which indeed the accusers did not sufficiently prooue accusing him to haue empoisoned Germanicus meate with his hand which was infected as he sate aboue him at a banquet For it seemed absurd that he should dare so bold an attempt amongst other mens seruants
ceremonies Dolabella Cornelius onely whilest he went about to exceed others falling into absurd flatterie thought it meete that he should from Campania enter into the citie ouant Wherupon Caesar wrote that he was not so needie of renowne that hauing vanquished most stout and prowde nations and receiued or refused in his youth so many triumphes he would in his old age hunt after a vaine reward of a voiage neere the citie X. Lepidus maketh an oration in defence of C. Lutorius accused of treason ABout the same time he made request vnto the Senat that Sulpitius Quirinius death might be solemnised with publicke funerals Quirinius was not of the auncient patritian familie of the Sulpitians but borne at Lanuuium a free towne a valiant warrior and forwards in all his charges was Consull vnder Augustus of famous memorie Then hauing won by assault the fortresse of the Homonadensians in Cilicia the markes of triumphe were awarded him then giuen as a guide to C. Caesar in the regiment of Armenia and when Tiberius was at Rhodes shewed him all duties of loue which Tiberius did open in Senat praising his dutifulnes towards him and accused M. Lollius to haue perswaded C. Caesar to seditions and lewdnes But vnto the rest the memorie of Quirinius was nothing pleasing by reason as I haue saide of the danger he brought Lepida into and miserable niggishnes and powerable old age In the end of the yeere a cari-tale accused C. Lutorius Priscus a gentleman of Rome who had composed notable funerall verses vpon Germanicus death and receiued money of Caesar for them obiecting that he had made them in honour of Drusus being sicke to the ende that if he had died they should haue beene published for greater reward Those verses Lutorius vpon vaine glorie had read in P. Petronius house in the presence of Vitellia his mother in lawe and many other noble women As soone as the pickthanke had shewed himselfe the rest forced by feare to giue witnes onely Vitellia stood to it that she had heard nothing But more credit being giuen to such as testified to his ouerthrow sentence of death was pronounced against him by Haterius Agrippa Consull elect Against whom M. Lepidus began to speake in this manner If we consider Lords of the Senat with what a wicked toong Lutorius Priscus hath polluted his minde and mens eares neither prison nor halter nor any seruile torments could suffice to punish him But if lewd and heinous facts be without meane yet the moderation of a Prince your own and your auncestors examples do mollifie the punishments and remedies of them vaine things do differ from wicked and words from villanous deedes And therefore iudgment may be giuen by which neither this mans offence goe scot-free we not repent vs either of our clemencie or seueritie I haue often heard our Prince complaine if any by killing himselfe hath preuented his clemēcy Lutorius life is yet in safety who being kept aliue will neither breed danger to the cōmon-wealth nor put to death serue for example to others As his studies were full of follie and without sence so they are likewise vaine and quickly at an end Neither is there any cause to feare any great or serious matter in him who bewraying his owne imperfections doth creepe not into mens but womens breasts Yet let him be expulsed the citie Which I iudge to be all one as if he had been conuicted of treason Among all the Consuls onely Rubellius Blandus agreed with Lepidus the rest following Agrippaes opinion Priscus was lead to prison and immediately depriued of his life The fact Tiberius with his accustomed ambiguitie of words blamed in Senate extolling the zealous affection of seuere punishments of princes iniuries though small yet entreated them that they woulde not so rashlie punish wordes praised Lepidus and rebuked not Agrippa Whereupon a decree of Senate was made that their orders shoulde not be caried to the treasurie before ten daies were expired and that so long the condemneds life should be prolonged But the Senators had no licence to repent and reuoke their sentence and Tiberius not to be pacified by tract of time XI Tiberius letter touching reformation of abuses THe yeere following C. Sulpitius and D. Haterius were created Consuls all being quiet from forrein troubles but seueritie against superfluities suspected at home which was growen to exceeding excesse in all things wherein money is lauishly spent Some of their expences although more vnreasonable yet were cloaked by dissembling their prices but gluttonie and belly-cheere euerie man commonly speaking of put them in feare least the prince shoulde rigorouslie proceed according to the ancient prouident frugalitie For C. Bibulus beginning the other Aediles shewed also that the law cōcerning excesse of expences was nought set by and the sumptuousnes of moueables which was forbiddē daily increased and that it coulde not be redressed by any reasonable meanes And the Lordes of the Senate being demanded their aduise referred the whole matter to the prince But Tiberius often pondered with himselfe whether such exorbitant lustes coulde bebrideled or not whether the brideling of them would not bring more hurt then benefit to the common-wealth how vnseemely and dishonorable it would be to vndertake that which could not be effected or if it could with the ignominie or infamie of noble men and in the end he sent letters to the Senate to this purpose It would be peraduenture conuenient Lords of the Senate that in other matters I should be demaunded my opinion in your presence and speake what I thought to be behouefull for the common wealth but in this relation it was better to withdraw mine eyes least that you noting the countenāce and the feare of euery one of such which should be deprehended of this shamefull lauishing I should also see them and take them as it were in the fault If the Aediles vigilant and carefull men had before hand asked my aduise I know not whether I should rather haue perswaded them to let passe strong and rooted vices then go so far that it should be knowne how vnable we be to redresse some kinde of abuses But they truly haue done their dutie and I wish that other magistrates would also fulfill theirs To me it is neither honest to hold my tongue nor easie to speake because I haue neither the office of an Aedile Pretor nor Consull Some greater matter is required of a Prince and of greater importance and when as euery man attributeth to himselfe the prayse of things well done the faults of all men in generall redounde to the dislike of the Prince alone What shall I begin first to forbid and reduce to the auncient custome your huge and spacious countrey houses the number of your seruitours of diuers nations the quantitie of siluer and gold your painted tables and brasen images of maruellous and exquisite workemanship superfluousnes of apparell both in men and women and those things which are proper vnto women as pretious
and true The same solemnities which were ordained for Germanicus were appointed for Drusus and as the manner is of the last flattery somethings added His funerall in pomp of images was very magnificent hauing before him in a long procession Aeneas the beginning of the Iulian familie all the kings of the Albani and Romulus the founder of the citie After him followed the nobilitie of the Sabins Appius Clausus and the images of the rest of the Claudians In deliuering Drusus death I haue followed that which many true writers haue vttered but I will not omit a very strong report of those times yet currant in euery mans mouth which is that Liuia being alreadie corrupted to all dishonestie of bodie by Seianus he was sayd to haue abused Lygdus bodie likewise in age and beautie highly pleasing his maister and of all his seruitours of best credit who being made priuie to the practise the place and times agreed when the poison should be giuen grew to that audaciousnes that he turned all vpon Drusus head and by secret aduertisement accused him to haue gone about to poison his father and gaue Tiberius warning to take heede of the first drinke his sonne should offer him at the table Whereupon by that fraud the banket being begun the old man presented Drusus the cup which he had receiued who ignorant of the practise like a raw yong man dranke it vp increasing thereby the suspition as though for feare and shame he had swallowed that death which he had prepared for his father This was the common rumor which wanting a ground and certaine author thou mayest easily refute for who is he though but of meane wisedome much lesse Tiberius experienced and beaten in waightie affaires not hearing his defence would haue offered his sonne his death and that with his owne hands a thing remediles if he should repent it Why had he not rather tortured the minister of the poison sought out the author and vsed that delay which vsually he did euen against strangers towards his owne sonne neuer before detected of any lewd fact But because Seianus was thought to be the inuentor of all bad actions through the great good will Caesar bore him and the hate which the rest bare to both things were beleeued although fabulous and vncredible report speaking alwayes the worst of Princes deaths The order of this fact hath been otherwise discouered by Apicata Seianus wife and by torturing of Eudemus and Lygdus and no writer found so great an enimie to Tiberius although all hath beene sought that may be sayd and inforced against him that hath obiected any such matter The cause why I layd downe and blamed the common rumor was that vnder a manifest example I might discredit false reports and pray such into whose hands our labours shall come that they would not esteeme more of common vncredible tales greedily receiued then of truth not falsified into miracles IIII. Seianus practises to destroy Agrippina and Germanicus children stage-plaiers expulsed Italie BVt whilest Tiberius praised his sonne before the people assembled the Senat and the people rather for a shew then from the hart put on a mourning countenance yet in their mindes reioyced that Germanicus house began to flourish againe which beginning of fauour and Agrippina their mother not well dissembling her hope hastened their ouerthrow For when Seianus perceiued that Drusus empoisoners escaped vnpunished and no publicke mourning of the people for his death emboldned in wicked actions bicause his first attempts had good successe began to cast with himselfe by what meanes he might extinguish Germanicus children the vndoubted successors to the Empire For all three poison he could not by reason of their keepers faithfulnes and Agrippinas inuincible chastitie He began therefore to inueigh against her obstinacie and stirre Augusta hating her of olde against her and incensed Liuia with the memorie of her late fact suggesting that her pride bearing it selfe vppon her fruitfulnes in children by the fauour of the people gaped after the soueraigntie This plot of his he prosecuted by the helpe of craftie accusers amongst whom he had chosen Iulius Posthumus a man noted of infamous life with Mutilia Prisca a principall fauorite of the grandmother and fit instrument for his practises being highly in Augustas bookes an old woman of her owne disposition desirous of rule and therefore easily estranged from her daughter in law Agrippina He had likewise inueighled Agrippinas neere kinred to puffe vp her haughtie spirits and vse hard speeches of Augusta But Tiberius intermitting no care of publicke affaires and embracing busines for solace heard the causes of citizens and the suites of confederates and by his perswasion decrees of Senat were made that the citie of Cibyratica in Asia and Aegiris in Achaia damnified by an earth-quake might be relieued by remitting them three yeeres tributes And Vibius Serenus Proconsull of farther Spaine being condemned for publicke violence through the crueltie of the time was banished into the Iland Amorgus Carsius Sacerdos accused as though he had helped the enimie Tacfarinas with corne was quit and C. Gracchus for the same crime This Gracchus being verie yoong was carried by his father Sempronius to the Iland Cercina as a companion of his exile where growing to mans estate amongst banished men and ignorant of liberall artes by turning and winding base marchandise in Affrica and Sicilia he gayned his liuing and yet he escaped not the dangers of greater fortune And if AElius Lamia and L. Apronius which gouerned Affrica had not defended his innocencie through the noblenesse of his vnfortunate stocke he had tasted of his fathers calamities That yeere came Ambassadors from cities of Greece requesting that the auncient right of priuiledged places might be confirmed at Iunos Temple at Samium and AEsculapius Temple at Cois The Samians grounded themselues on a decree of the Amphictyons to whom belonged the principall examination of all matters when the Grecians building cities through Asia were Lords of the sea coasts The antiquitie of the Coi was not vnlike hauing withall the merite of the place for when by King Mithridates commaundement all the Romans were slaine throughout all the cities and Ilands of Asia they saued in the Temple of AEsculapius as many as they found After this the Pretors hauing made many complaints though in vaine against the stage-players at last Caesar spake of their vnrulines and immodest behauiour as hauing seditiously attempted many things in publicke and many vndecently in priuate houses And the Oscian play a light sport pleasing the peoples humor grew to such insolencie that the Lords of the Senate were faine to interpose their authoritie for the suppressing of it and then the stageplayers were expulsed Italy Caesar had further griefe the same yeere partly by the death of one of Drusus children and partly by the death of Lucillius Longus his friend and partaker of all his fortunes prosperous or aduerse and among the Senators his only companion when he
haue alreadie said had inueighled Libo then betrayed him and brought him to destruction Which seruice Tiberius not forgetting though pretending other causes intreated that he might not be banished but that he should be deposed from the Senate he hindered not I am not ignorant that many of those things which I haue rehearsed and which I shall rehearse hereafter will seeme of small moment and not worthy the writing But I wish not that any should compare our annales with the writings of the auncient historiographers of the people of Rome for they reported with a free discourse of mightie great warres winning of townes of Kings taken and slaine or if they came to domesticall affaires they recorded the discords betwixt the Consuls and the Tribunes lawes concerning distribution of lands among the common people and iarres betweene the communaltie and nobilitie But the scope of our discourse is streight and our labour inglorious the times I write of being peaceable and quiet or no great warres the state of the citie dolefull and the Prince carelesse in dilating the Empire Yet it shall not bee lost labour to looke into those things which at the first seeme light oft yeelding instruction of greater matters For all Nations and Cities are gouerned by the people or Peers or one alone A forme of common-wealth constituted of one of these may better be praised then found or if it chaunce to be found it cannot long continue Therefore as in times past the people bearing swaie or the Lords of the Senate the humor of the communaltie was to be knowen and the meanes how with greatest discretion they were to be dealt withall and they iudged most wise and experienced who had deepliest entered into the disposition of the Senators nobilitie so the state being now changed and the regiment consisting in one alone it shall be conuenient to note those things which vnto that forme of gouernment doth best appertaine For there are but few which by wisedome distinguish honest things from dishonest and profitable from hurtfull but most men are taught by others euents And my writings bring more profit then delight for situation of countries varietie of battels the death of famous Captaines do feede and recreat the readers mindes But we heape vp bloodie commaundements continuall accusations deceitfull friendships the ouerthrow of innocent persons and causes bringing the like end matters tedious for want of varietie The old writers had also this aduantage that they had no detractors of their writing or fewe not being materiall to any whether he had praised the Affrican or Roman armies But many are yet aliue whose predecessors suffered punishment or infamie vnder Tiberius gouernment And although their familie be extinguished yet thou shalt find many which for conformitie of manners thinke that others misdeedes are obiected against themselues Glorie and vertue haue enimies likewise according to the disposition of euerie mans minde framing reasons contrarie to that which his own inclination is neerest vnto But I will returne to my first purpose VIII An oration of Cremutius in defence of his Annales Tiberius would not suffer the Spaniards to build a Temple in his honour COrnelius Cossus Asinius Agrippa being Consuls Cremutius Cordus was accused of a new crime neuer before heard of that in certaine Annales by him published he had praised M. Brutus and said that C. Cassius was the last of the Romans His accusers were Satrius Secundus and Pinarius Natta Seianus clients which was his ouerthrow Caesar with a sterne looke hearing his purgation which Cremutius being assured to lose his life began in this manner I am accused for words Lords of the Senate bicause in deedes I am innocent But they were neither against the Prince nor his father whom the lawe of treason doth comprehend I am said to haue commended Brutus and Cassius whose acts manie haue written and all in honorable termes T. Liuius an excellent writer as well for eloquence as truth did so much extoll Gn. Pompeius that Augustus called him a Pompeian yet that no breach of friendship at all Scipio Afranius did neuer call this selfe same Cassius this Brutus theeues and parricides as now adaies they are termed but often worthie famous men Asinius Pollioes writings do deliuer an honorable memorie of them Messalla Coruinus extolleth Cassius as his Captaine and both flourished in wealth and honour When M. Cicero had in a booke extolled Cato to the heauens what did Caesar the Dictator but answere him in an oration as if he had beene before the iudges Antonies epistles Brutus orations haue I confesse many vntrue and bitter speeches against Augustus Men read Bibaculus and Catullus verses which are stuffed with reproches against the Caesars But yet Iulius and Augnstus of famous memorie winked thereat whether with greater moderation or wisedome I know not for things of that qualitie neglected vanish of themselues but repined and greeued at argue a guiltie conscience The Grecians whose not onely libertie but vnrestrained licence escaped vnpunished I speake not of or if any felt himselfe greeued he reuenged words with other words It hath bin alwaies a matter of free libertie and least subiect vnto detraction to speake of those whom death had exempted from hatred and fauor Do I incense the peope by orations to ciuill warre with Cassius and Brutus alreadie in armes and masters of the Philippian fields Do not they who ended their life aboue seauentie yeeres agone as they are knowen by their images which the Conqueror himselfe hath not pulled downe so retaine some remembrance of them by writings Posteritie doth render vnto euery man the commendation he hath deserued Neither will there want some if I be condemned which will make mention not onely of Cassius and Brutus but of me also Hauing thus saide he went out of the Senat ended his life by abstinence Order was giuen by the Senators that the Aediles should burne his bookes which notwithstanding were still extant some secretly some publickly which maketh me the willinglier to laugh at the witles vncircumpection of such as thinke with the power and authoritie they haue in their own time they can also extinguish the memory of future times But it falleth out contrary that when good wits are punished their credit groweth greater neither haue forraine Kings or such as haue vsed the like crueltie purchased any other thing then discredit to themselues and to such wits glorie This yeere accusations were so hotly pursued that euen on the festiuall daies of the Latines Calphurnius Saluianus went to accuse Marius before Drusus Prouest of the citie as he was entering into the Tribunall to begin his charge for which cause Saluianus being publikely blamed by Tiberius was sent into banishment Great negligence was openly layd to the Cyzicenians charge in not solemnising Augustus sacrifices and that they had vsed violence against the citizens of Rome For which cause they lost the freedome which they had gotten in the warre when they were besieged by
Macedon of the number of riuers the temperature of their countrey and what a rich territorie they had round about them But the Smyrnaeans fetching their antiquitie a farre off either that Tantalus from whence they came was descended from Iupiter or from Theseus issued also from the stocke of the gods or else that some one of the Amazons had founded them alleaged farther the seruice they had done to the people of Rome in which they most of all relied and that they had giuen them su cour by sea not only against forreine wars but also the wars of Italie And that they first of all had dedicated a Temple in honor of Rome M Porcius being Consull The people of Rome indeed then flourishing but yet not lifted vp to the height of their greatnes the citie of Carthage yet standing and many strong Kings liuing in Asia They brought in L. Sulla for a witnes whose armie being fallen into great danger through the roughnes of the winter and want of apparell when newes was brought thereof to the Smyrnaeans as they were assembled vpon occasion all which were present sent the apparell from their owne backes vnto our legions Thereupon the Lords of the Senats opinion being demaunded they preferred the Smyrnaeans And Vibius Marsus counselled farther that ouer and aboue his charge M Lepidus vnto whom the gouernment of that Prouince fell should haue a deputie appointed to take care of that Temple And bicause Lepidus through modestie refused to accept it Valerius Naso who had beene Pretor was by lot chosen and sent XIII Why Tiberius absented himselfe from the Citie WHilest these things thus passed Caesar hauing deepely thought vpon and after protracted his determination at last goeth into Campania vnder colour of dedicating a temple to Iupiter Capua and another to Augustus at Nola but indeede resolued to leade his life far from the citie The occasion of his departure although following some authors I haue attributed vnto Seianus wiles yet because that after Seianus death he continued sixe yeares in the like retired life I am often induced to doubt whether the cause be more truly to be referred to himselfe as going about to cloake by the place his crueltie and loose behauior Some were of opinion that being through age slender tall and crooked bald headed and his face spect with plaisters and ointments was therefore ashamed to shew himselfe in publick And at Rhodes he was wont to shun companie liue secretly and hide his lasciuious dissolute life Some gaue out that his mothers insupportable insolēcie droue him away whom as a companiō in state he could not indure nor yet be rid of her bicause the soueraigntie it self was her gift For Augustus was determined to leaue the Empire to Germanicus his sisters nephew who had a good report of all men but being ouercome by his wiues importunate intreatie he adopted Tiberius and Tiberius Germanicus which Augusta did vpbrayd vnto him and demanded the Empire againe which she had bestowed vpon him He departed with a small traine with him one Senator who had bene Consull which was Cocceius Nerua skilfull in the lawes one gentleman of Rome besides Seianus and of noble men only Curtius Atticus The rest were men indued with liberall sciences most of them Grecians with whose conference he purposed to passe the time Some Astrologers gaue out that Tiberius departed Rome vnder such a constellation that he should returne no more which was cause of manies ouerthrow which coniectured and diuulged that he had not long to liue for they could not foresee so incredible a matter as that he should want his countrey willingly eleuen yeeres together Wherein did appeare not long after how neere cosens their arte and falshood are and how truth is disguised and hidden vnder obscuritie For it was not spoken at aventure that he should not returne againe although they were ignorant of other things which should happen vnto him or whether he should quickly die or not which was not signified by those words of theirs because he ended his latter yeeres in some village not farre off or on the sea shore or neere vnto the wals of the citie At that time a doubtfull and dangerous perill which by meere chance Caesar fell into augmented the vaine rumor alreadie sowne and gaue him occasion to put more trust in Seianus friendship and constancie then euer he had done before For as they were eating in a countrey house called Spelunca betwene the sea Amuclanum and the hils of Fundani in a naturall grot or caue certaine stones falling suddenly from the mouth of it slew some of his seruitors which so affrighted the rest that they fled all away But Seianus with his knees his face and hands leaning and hanging ouer Caesar set himselfe against the other stones which were falling and in that plight was found by the souldiers which came to succour them This made him greater then he was and although he should haue giuen most pernitious counsell yet should haue had fauorable audience as one nothing caring for ought which might happen to himselfe He tooke vpon him the office of a iudge against Germanicus issue suborning some to play the parts of accusers and inueigh especially against Nero next in succession although a modest yong man yet oftentimes forgetfull of that which was requisit for the present time pricked forward by his freed men and followers which thought it long till he were Emperour to shew himselfe bold and stout of courage perswading him that that the people of Rome desired the armie couered and that Seianus durst do nothing to the contrarie though now he insulted alike ouer the patience of the old man and sloth and cowardlines of the yong Nero hearing these or the like speeches yet dreamt of no bad practise although some wilfull and vnconsiderate speeches slipt now and then from him which when the spies set ouer him had augmented carried to Caesar and Nero not suffered to purge himselfe droue manie into sundrie doubtes Some shunned to meete him some hauing saluted him turned presently from him many brake off abruptly their talke Seianus fauorers on the other side laughed in their sleeues to see it Tiberius whether the yoong man spake vnto him or held his toong cast a malicious eye or smiled dissemblingly vpon him and whether he spake or helde his toong it was alwaies a crime in him Neither was he secure from treason in the night his wife bewraying his watchings his dreames his sighes to Liuia her mother and she to Seianus who drew Drusus Neroes brother to his side with a hope of the Empire if he could remooue his elder brother which was alreadie downe and out of credit Drusus was of a cruell and fell disposition and besides the desire of rule and hatred which vsually raigneth betwixt brothers he was incensed with enuie to see Agrippina their mother readier bent to do Nero good then himselfe And yet Seianus did not so much tender Drusus but that he
blamed the magistrates and Senators that they had not by publike authoritie brideled the insolencie of the people and added withall how farre greater quantitie of corne he had caused to be brought then Augustus and out of what prouinces Whereupon a decree of Senate was enacted to restraine the people according to the auncient seueritie the Consuls being no lesse forward to publish it his owne silence in the cause was not construed to be a point of ciuilitie as he looked it should be but was imputed to his pride In the end of that yeare Geminius Celsus Pompeius Gentlemen of Rome were put to death for conspiracies among which Geminius through prodigalitie and loosenes of life and a friend to Seianus was a man of nothing And Iulius Celsus a Tribune loosing the chaine he was bound with at large then winding it about and forcing himselfe a contrary way brake his owne neck But Rubrius Fabatus despairing of the Roman affaires and fleeing to the Parthians and brought back safe from the streights of Sicilie by a Centurion had keepers appointed him not able to alleage any probable causes of his long voiages yet he escaped vnpunished rather through forgetfulnes then clemencie IIII. Tiberius marrieth his neeces Vsurers accused and the inconuenience that ensued SEr. Galba and L. Sulla being Consuls Tiberius hauing a long time bethought himselfe what husbands he should prouide his neeces whose age now came on made choise of L. Cassius and M. Vinicius Vinicius kindred came out of a small towne himselfe borne at Calles but his father and grandfather were Consuls the rest of his kindred were Gentlemen he was of a milde disposition and very eloquent L. Cassius was descended of one of the common people at Rome but auncient and noble and brought vp vnder the seuere discipline of his father and oftner commended for his courtesie then industrie To him he giueth Drusilla to Vinicius Iulia both Germanicus children and writeth to the Senate touching that matter with a light commendation of the yong men Then hauing yeelded some causes of his absence but very extrauagant came to matters of greater moment and the displeasures and dislikes he had incurred for the common wealth and requested that Macro the Prouost and some few of the Tribunes and Centurions might as oft as he came to the Senate enter into the Curia with him And albeit the Senate made a decree very generall without prescribing any number or qualitie of persons he was so farre from comming to any publick counsell that he neuer came so much as to the citie coasting about it and for the most part in by-wayes and still auoiding his countrey as much as he could In the meane season a great rabble of informers rose vp against such vsurers as tooke more for consideration of their money then they might by the law made by Caesar the Dictator concerning the manner of lending and holding possession within Italie long neglected heretofore because the publicke good is lesse set by then priuate commoditie Vsury in very deede hath beene an old disease in the citie and often a cause of seditions and discords and for that cause hath been restrained in auncient and lesse corrupted times For first it was ordained by the law of the twelue tables that no man should take aboue one in the hundred when as before that time it was as pleased the monied men After that by a Tribunitian law it was brought vnto halfe one in the hundred and in the end vsury was wholy forbidden and many lawes made by the people to cut off all fraud which often repressed reuiued againe by strange sleights and deuises But then Gracchus being Pretor vnto whom the examining of that question fell constrained by the multitude of such as were indangered thereby propounded the matter before the Lords of the Senate who daunted thereat for there was not one of them free from that fault craued respite of the Prince he graunted them a yeere and sixe moneths within which time euery man according to the prescript of law should settle his estate and make vp his domesticall accompts Hereupon euery man calling in his debts on a sudden ensued a great want scarcitie of money and by reason so many were condemned and their goods sold all the money ready coined wēt either to the princes or publick treasury Besides this the Senat ordained that two parts of the vsurie money should be bestowed vpō lands in Italie but the creditors disliked that and vrged the paiment of the whole as a matter impayring the credit of the parties conuented to goe from their word So at the first there was great running hither and thither and entreaties then they flocked about the Pretors tribunall and those things which were founde for a remedie as selling and buying of such mens goods turned to a contrarie effect bicause the Vsurers had hoorded vp all their money to buie land And bicause the multitude of sellers was cause that the value of landes was rated at a verie lowe and vile price how much the more a man was indebted the loather he was to sell And manie were thrust out of all they had and the decaie of their wealth carried their credit and fame headlong after vntill Tiberius relieued them by putting a hundred million sesterces in bancke and lent it for three yeeres space without consideration or interest if the debtor could giue securitie to the people of Rome in landes double the value of the debt By that meanes their credit was restored and other particular creditors by little and little found neither was the buying of landes practised according to the forme of the decree of Senat hotly at the beginning pursued as almost all such things are but in the ende carelesly neglected V. C. Caesar marieth Claudia daughter vnto M. Silanus what proofe Tiberius made of Trasullus skill AFter that the olde feares returne againe Considius Proculus being accused of treason who celebrating his birth day not doubting any thing was drawen to the Curia and at the same time condemned and put to death and his sister Sancia banished Q. Pomponius being accuser who being of an vnquiet and busie disposition pretended he had done this and that and all to currie fauour with the Prince thereby to steed his brother Pomponius Secundus who was then in danger Banishment is likewise decreed against Pompeia Macrina whose husband and father in law the one of Argos and the other of Lacedaemon men of marke and reputation among the Achaeans Caesar had alreadie afflicted and brought to ruine Her father likewise a famous gentleman of Rome and her brother who had beene Pretor seeing that their condemnation was at hand slewe themselues It was imputed vnto them for a fault that Gn. Magnus made reckoning as of a speciall friend of Theophanes Mytilenaeus their great grandfather and that the Grecian flatterie after his death had giuen him diuine honour After these Sext. Marius the richest man of all Spaine was accused
to haue committed incest with his daughter and was cast healong from the Tarpeian rocke And little doubt but his exceeding wealth was his ouerthrow for although his gold mines were confiscated yet Tiberius reserued them for himselfe and by much blood shedding growing more bloody commanded al those to be executed which were in prison and accused of confederacie with Seianus The butcherie was great in all sexes and all ages noblemen common people scattered here and there or gathered into heapes Neither was it lawfull for neere kinsmen and friends to be present to bewaile their case nor yet to come oft to see them but there were watches and spies on euery side intentiue to prie what lamentation euerie man made which followed the putrified bodies vntill they were throwen into the riuer of Tiber. And if any of them were found floting on the water or driuen to the bankes no man durst burne them nor touch them all familiar societie and intercourse of humanitie was lost through feare and violence and how much crueltie increased so far pitie was banished About the same time C. Caesar bearing his grandfather companie from Capreas tooke to wife Claudia daughter of M. Silanus cloking his cruell and bloodie disposition with a counterfeit modestie not once vttering so much as a word of the condemning of his mother the banishing of his brothers but whatsoeuer minde Tiberius had put on of the like habit he shewed himselfe and not much differing from him in words Wherupon a wittie saying of the orator Passienus was commonly applied to him That there was neuer better seruant then he nor woorser master I will not omit Tiberius prophesie of Sergius Galba then Consull who hauing sent for him and sounded him of set purpose with diuers speeches at last in Greeke vttered vnto him this sentence And thou Galba at sometime shalt taste of the Empire Signifiyng that his rule should be long a comming and dure but a short time as learning that skill of the Chaldaeans arte for attayning of which he had idle time at Rhodes and Trasullus for his master whose cunning he tried by this meanes As oft as he would consult with them touching any matter he went vp to the highest part of the house with onely one freede man in his companie vnlearned but of a strong and able bodie whom he caused to leade him the way ouer hard and difficult passages and broken rockes for his house did hang ouer the rockes whose cunning and arte Tiberius did purpose to trie that in returning backe if any ielousie of vanitie or treacherie had entered into his minde he should throw him headlong into the sea which was vnder him least he should bewray his secrets Trasullus being then brought into those rocks moouing Tiberius which mooued him many questions foretelling him verie skilfully future things and that he should be Emperour Tiberius asked him farther whether he had found out the howre of his owne natiuitie and what should happen to himselfe that yeere and that same day Who hauing considered the aspects of the stars and measured their distances beganne first to doubt and then to feare and the more he viewed them so more and more he was surprised with admiration and feare and at last cried out that he was readie to fall into most doubtfull and imminent danger Then Tiberius embracing him reioyced that he had foreseene his owne dangers and promised he should escape them and taking those things which he had saide for oracles held him afterward among the number of his deerest friends When I heare of these and the like things I can giue no certaine iudgement whether the affaires of mortall men are gouerned by fate and immutable necessitie or haue their course and change by chaunce and fortune For thou shalt finde that as well those which were accounted wise in auncient times as such as were imitators of their sect do varie and disagree therein some do resolutelie beleeue that the gods haue no care of mans beginning or ending no not of man at all Whereof it proceedeth that the vertuous are tossed and afflicted with so many miseries and the vitious and bad triumphe with so great prosperities Contrarilie others are of opnion that fate and destinie may well stand with the course of our actions yet nothing at all depend of the planets or stars but proeeede from a connexion of naturall causes as from their beginning And these graunt withall that we haue free choise and election what course of life to follow which being once chosen we are guided after by a certaine order of causes vnto our end Neither do they esteeme those things to be good or bad which the vulgar sort do so call for many which seeme to be oppressed with miserie are happie if they endure their aduersitie with constancie and many which flow in wealth in most miserable estate if they vse their prosperitie vnaduisedly And yet of some it may be saide that their destinies are knowen at their birth and if they fal out otherwise then hath beene foretolde it proceedeth of the ignorance of the deceitfull reporter and so the arte is discredited whose cleere and euident proofes former and present times haue tried for by the sonne of the same Trasullus Neroes Empire was foretold as in conuenient time it shall be declared bicause I will not now digresse from my purpose VI. Tiberius crueltie against Drusus the death of Agrippina and others Iulia daughter vnto Drusus is married vnto Rubellius Blandus THe same men being Consuls Asinius Gallus died and no man doubting but for want of taking sustenance but whether willingly or of necessitie that is vncertaine And Caesar being asked whether he would suffer him to be buried was not ashamed to permit it further to accuse chance fortune that had taken away the criminall person before he had beene openly conuinced as though that in three yeeres space there wanted time of proceeding to iudgement against an old Consull and father of so many Consuls After that Drusus was made away hauing sustained himselfe the space of nine daies with a miserable foode by eating the flocks of his bed Some haue written that Macro had order sent him that if Seianus should attempt to take armes the yong man should be fetcht out of prison for he was kept in the Pallace and made captaine ouer the people but because it was incontinently rumored that Caesar would be reconciled to his daughter in law and nephew he shewed that he desired rather crueltie then be sory for that he had done yea and hauing inueighed against him after he was dead obiected he was loose of life hurtfull and dangerous to his and euilly affected toward the common wealth and withall commaunded all that to be recited which he had caused day by day to be put in writing both of his words and deedes a thing so cruell that nothing more that he should so many yeeres haue appointed spies to obserue his countenance his
lamentation yea priuat murmurings and scarce credible that the grandfather could indure to heare it reade it and publish it were it not that the letters of Actius the Centurion and Didymus his freed man did declare the names of such bondslaues which had either stroken Drusus or put him in a fright as he went out of his chamber Yea the Centurion added his owne words full of crueltie against Drusus as a matter worthy praise and Drusus answere againe as he fainted and drew towards his end in which faining as though he had been distracted of his wits wished Tiberius all ill luck and misfortune and then seeing himselfe past all hope of life cursed him most deadly praying the gods that as he had slaine his daughter in law his brothers sonne and his nephewes and filled all his house with bloud so they would reuenge and punish him for an example to his name his stock predecessors and posteritie The Lords of the Senate were troubled with these speeches making shew of detesting them but they were stricken into a feare and admiration that he who had been so cunning and craftie heretofore in cloking his lewdnes should now become so confident that as though the walles were throwne down he durst shew that his nephew beaten by his Centurion and strooken by his slaues should aske for meate in vaine to saue his life This griefe was scarse gone but the next newes were of Agrippina whom I thinke since Seianus death vntill now liued with hope and seeing that crueltie was no whit remitted willingly ended her life vnlesse that famished for want of sustenance it was falsely giuen out she died that death of her selfe For Tiberius layde grieuous crimes to her charge accusing her of vncleanes of life and that Asinius Gallus was the adulterer and that seeing him dead she loathed any longer to liue But in very deede Agrippina not contented with reason and greedy of rule taking vpon her cares fit rather for men then women had shaken off all vices incident to her owne sexe She died the selfe-same day that two yeeres before Seianus died which Caesar thought worthy of record and vaunted that she had neither been strangled nor throwne headlong from the Gemonies For this he had thanks giuen him by the Senate and order taken that the fifteenth Kalends of Nouember which was the day they both died some gift should be offered vp to Iupiter Not long after Cocceius Nerua who was continually at the Princes elbow a man very expert in diuine and humane lawes being in perfect disposition of body resolued with himselfe to die which when Tiberius vnderstood he went to visit him sate by him and inquired the causes of his intention and intreated him confessing at last that it would be a burden to his conscience and a discredit if the chiefest of his friends should without cause of death shew himselfe weary of life But Nerua disliking his speech would take no more sustenance Those which best knew his meaning gaue out that deepely seeing into what calamities the common wealth was like to fall into moued with anger and feare whilest his credit was vntouched and his person vnattempted would end his life with that honest death Agrippinaes ruine drew with it which is scarse credible Plancinaes destruction She had beene once wife vnto Gn. Piso and reioysed openly at Germanicus death and when Piso was slaine she was saued no lesse by Augustaes prayers then ill will she bare Agrippina As soone as hatred and fauour failed right tooke place and being accused of knowen crimes with her owne hand receiued rather late then vndeserued punishment Among other griefes in a dolefull and sad citie this was one that Iulia daughter vnto Drusus once Neroes wife married againe into Rubellius Blandus familie whose grandfather Tiburtes a gentleman of Rome most men knew In the end of this yeare the death of Aelius Lamia was celebrated with funerals proper to a Censor who at last being discharged of the gouernment of Syria which he had in shew only was made gouernor of the citie He was descended of a noble stock and was a strong liuely old man and the gouernment of the prouince denied him augmented his woorth Then Flaccus Pomponius Propretor of Syria being dead Caesars letters were recited in which he complained that if there were any notable man and fit to rule an armie he refused the charge and therefore he was forced through that necessitie to intreate such as had beene Consuls to take vpon them the rule of the prouinces forgetting that Arruntius had beene hindered ten yeeres from going into Spaine The same yeere died M. Lepidus of whose moderation and wisedome I haue spoken sufficiently in other bookes and his nobilitie needeth no farther proofe for the Aemilian family hath brought foorth many good citizens and although some of them haue beene of corrupt manners yet liued in good and honorable estate VII A Phoenix seene in AEgypt how Getulicus escaped Tiberius crueltie WHen Paullus Fabius and L. Vitellius were Consuls after manie ages were past the birde Phoenix came into AEgypt and ministred matter to the most learned of the countrey and also Greekes of disputing many things concerning that miracle Of which it seemeth good vnto me to laye downe such things as they agree of and manie which rest doubtfull yet notwithstanding worthie the knowledge That that birde is consecrated to the sunne and that it differeth in the beake and varietie of feathers from other birds all do accord which haue described her shape and forme but of the number of her yeeres there are diuers reports The common opinion is that she liueth fiue hundred yeeres some affirme that she liueth a thousand foure hundred threescore and one yeere And the first of these kindes of birdes flew to the citie called Heliopolis with a great multitude of other birdes with her woondering at her new shape in Sesostris time after that in Amasis and Ptolemaeus raigne which of the Macedonians was the third King of Aegypt But antiquitie is darke and obscure Betwixt Ptolemaeus raigne and Tiberius there were scarse two hundred and fiftie yeeres Whereupon some thought that this was no true Phoenix nor come from the land of Arabia and that it had nothing of that which antiquitie hath attributed and confirmed to be in that kind For when they haue ended the number of their yeeres and that their ende approcheth they build their nest in their countrey and in it cast seede of generation of which a yong one doth rise whose first care is being growen to ripenes to burie the olde And that not at all aduentures but hauing taken vp a certaine waight of the stone Murrha and tried the carrieng of it a long iourney when she perceiueth her selfe able to indure and carrie such a burthen and to accomplish the voiage she lifteth vp her fathers bodie and carrieth it to the altar of the sunne and there doth burne and sacrifice it These things are vncertaine and fabulously
perceiued that he had a care of things to come for not going about the bush but in plaine termes he vpbraied Macro that he turned his backe to the West and looked alwaies toward the sun-rising And hapning by chāce that some speech was had of L. Sulla whom C. Caesar was wont to scoffe laugh at Tiberius foretold him that he should haue all his vices but not so much as one of his vertues And withall imbracing the yongest of his nephewes with weeping teares the other looking on with an enuious eye sayd vnto him thou shalt kill him and another shall kill thee Yet his sicknes growing more and more vpō him he omitted not any part of his wāton vncleane lusts counterfeiting and putting on a face of courage euen in his weaknes and infirmitie and was wont to mock at the Phisitiōs skill that after 30. yeers space they wanted other mens counsell to know what was good or hurtfull for their own bodies In the meane time at Rome there were certaine seedes of murders sowen to take effect after Tiberius death Laelius Balbus had accused Acutia somtimes the wife of P. Vitellius of treason who being cōdemned when a recompence was to be ordained for the accuser Iunius Otho Tribune of the people withstood it wherupon they two growing to a iarre Otho was sent into banishment Then Albucilla infamous for loose loue with many once wife to Satrius Secundus the detector of the conspiracie was accused of certaine impieties and inchantments against the Prince with her as confederats her adulterers Gn. Domitius Vibius Marsus L. Arruntius Of Domitius nobilitie I haue spoken before Marsus also was of an ancient stock and endued with many good vertues But the memoriall sent vnto the Senate doth testifie that Macro had charge of the examinatiō of the witnesses torture of the bondmen and the Emperours letters gaue no token of suspition against them either because he was weake feeble or bicause he knew nothing of it many crimes were forged by Macro knowen enimie to Arruntius Domitius therefore premeditating his defence Marsus as though he had purposed to pine away by famishing himselfe prolonged their liues Arruntius whilest his friends perswaded him not to be too hastie but linger on answereth them That the same things do not beseeme all men alike that for his own part he had liued long ynough and had no other thing to repent him of but that he had among so manie vaine mockeries perils prolonged his heauie and carefull old age hauing bin long hated of Seianus now of Macro alwais of som one of the mightiest not through any fault of his but bicause he could not endure wickednes True it is he might linger out during the short time the Prince hath to liue but how should he escape the yoong Prince which is to come If Tiberius after such long experience in affaires by the force of rule and dominion hath changed and altered is it to be hoped that C. Caesar who is yet scarse out of his childhood vnexpert and vnacquainted with al things or brought vp trained in the lewdest shuld follow a better course hauing Macro for his guide who being chosen to oppresse Seianus bicause he was woorse than he afflicted the common-wealth with greater calamitie I foresee said he a heauier seruitude and therfore I will flie as well from that which is alreadie past as that which is at hand Speaking these things as it had bin in maner of a Prophesie he cut his vaines It shal appeere by those things which insued that Arruntius died in good time Albucilla hauing wounded herselfe with a blow giuē without effect was carried to prison The ministers of her whoredom Grasidius Sacerdos who had been Pretor was banished into an Iland and Pontius Fregellanus condemned to be put from the Senate the saide punishments were decreed against Laelius Balbus by these themselues which were glad of it bicause Balbus was thought to vse his eloquēce cruelly as one alwais at hād ready against the innocēt XII Tiberius death ABout the same time Sext. Papinius descended of a Consularie familie chose a sudden euilfauoured death by casting himselfe headlong from a high place The cause was attributed to his mother who hauing bin long before put away from her husband by flattering speeches lasciuious wantōnes induced the yoong man vnto that villanie that to auoid the discredit with her he could finde no remedie but death She being accused in Senate albeit she prostrated hirselfe at the Lords feet long shewed her common griefe womens weaknes in such desires and other lamentable and pitifull monings witnessing hir dolour and griefe yet was banished the citie ten yeers vntil her yoongest son was past the vnconstant slipperines of his youth Now Tiberius bodie strength began to forsake him but not yet his dissimulation He had the same courage vigour of minde his countenance and voice was strong desiring somtimes to be pleasant cloked his manifest decay of strength And often changing at last setled himselfe in a promontorie of Misenum in a house which somtimes Lucullus had bin Lord of where it was known that his death was at hand by this means There was a Phisition verie skilfull in his arte called Charicles yet neuer accustomed to gouerne the Prince in his sicknes but to assist him with his counsell This Phisition departing from Tiberius as it had bin about some busines of his own vnder colour of dutie taking him by the hand felt the pulse of his vains but yet he could not vse the matter so cunningly but the emperor perceiued him Whether Tiberius were offended with him or not it was vncertaine if he were so much the more suppressing his anger caused meat to be made readie otherwise than his custome had bin sitteth downe as it had been in honor of his friends farewell Charicles neuerthelesse assured Macro that his spirits decayed and that he coulde not liue aboue two daies Whereupon great debating of matters passed among those which were present and messengers posted away to the lieutenants armies The 17. of the Kalends of April his breath being stopped he was thought to haue ended this mortall life Then C. Caesar with a great multitude flocking about him and congratulating his good fortune went forth to take vpō him the Empire when newes came on the sudden that Tiberius was come to his speech sight again that meate was called for to put him out of his swouning vpon this they were all stroken into a great feare and dispersed themselues some one way some another euerie man counterfeiting a sad cheere and ignorance of all this And C. Caesar stroken dumbe in the top of his hope expected his last doome Macro resolute and stout commanded the old man to be smoothered by casting many clothes on him and euerie man to depart from the doore And so Tiberius ended his life the 78. yeere of
his age He was Neroes sonne and on both sides extracted frō the Claudian familie although his mother went by adoption into the Liuian familie and after that into the Iulian. He had doubtfull fortunes from his first infancie for being a banished man he followed his father who was proscribed and being brought into Augustus house as his son in law was greatly maligned al the time that Marcellus and Agrippa and afterward Caius Lucius Caesar liued Yea his brother Drusus was better beloued then he of the citizens but after he had married Iulia his slipperie estate was tied to two great inconueniences which was either to indure the incontinencie of his wife or go from her After that returning from Rhodes he liued twelue yeeres in the Princes house which had no children then possessed the Empire almost 23. yeeres He changed his manners diuersly according to the times Whilest he was a priuat man he was of good life and credite and had commendations vnder Augustus He was close and craftie in counterfeiting vertues whilest Germanicus and Drusus liued and whilest his mother liued he kept a meane somtimes good and somtimes bad For crueltie he was infamous but in lasciuious lusts as long as he loued or feared Seianus secret In the end he burst into all wickednes dishonestie and reproch after that hauing cast away shame and feare he gouerned himselfe wholy according vnto his owne disposition and nature THE ELEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS I. The death of Asiaticus and Poppaea * The beginning of this Booke is wanting FOr he beleeued that Valerius Asiaticus who had beene twise Consull had in times past committed adultery with Poppaea withall greedily gaped after those gardens which he bought of Lucullus and beawtified and trimmed most stately Suilius was suborned to accuse them both Sosibius Germanicus bringer vp was ioyned with him who vnder colour of friendship counselleth Claudius to beware of such as were strong and rich as men dangerous vnto the state and that Asiaticus the principall author of murdering Caesar feared not to auouch it in a full assemblie of the people of Rome and challenge the glory of the fact vnto himselfe He was famous in the citie for it and a rumor spread throughout the prouince that he prepared a voyage toward Germanicus armie because that being borne at Vienna and strengthened with strong and great kindred he thought it an easie matter to stirre vp his countrey men But Claudius making no farther enquirie sent Crispinus the captaine of the gard with a band of readie souldiers as though it had bene to suppresse a warre who finding him at Baias layd yrons vpon him and drew him to the citie where he was not licensed to be heard of the Senate but in the Emperours chamber in the presence of Messallina There Suilius accused him that he had corrupted the souldiers and wonne them by money and loose life to all wickednes Then charged him with adultery with Poppaea and vnnaturall dishonestie of bodie At that although he were commaunded to silence he burst forth and sayd O Suilius aske thy children and they will confesse me to be a man And entering into his defence Claudius being wonderfully moued drew teares likewise from Messallinaes eyes who going out of the chamber to wipe them giueth Vitellius warning not to suffer the partie arraigned to escape She maketh haste to ouerthrow Poppaea sending some through the terror of prison to perswade her to kill her selfe Caesar being so ignorant therof that a few dayes after he asked her husband Scipio as he sate at table with him why he had sate downe without his wife who made him answere that she was dead But whilest Claudius consulted of Asiaticus deliuerance Vitellius with teares declaring how long time their friendship had continued and how they two did reuerence honor Antonia the Princes mother then running ouer briefely his seruices towards the common wealth and that so lately done in Britannia and what else might seeme to moue compassion left it in the end to his owne choise what death he would choose Claudius yeelding him the like clemencie with like words After this some perswading him that to die with famine and abstinence was an easie death he answered that he reiected such fauour and therefore hauing done those exercises he was vsually wont to do washed his body and fed daintily saying that it had bene a more commendable death to haue died by Tiberius slienes and cunning or C. Caesars violence then now by the treachery of a woman and Vitellius vncleane mouth cut his vaines and hauing first seene the fire wherein his bodie was to be burned commaunded it to be remoued to another place least the thick tuffed trees should be marred with the smoke so small reckoning did he make of death II. Certaine Romaines accused for a dreame A treatise of aduocates AFter this the Lords of the Senate were called together and Suilius goeth on and accuseth certaine noble and renowned gentlemen of Rome surnamed Petra The cause of their death was because they had lent their house vnto Mnester and Poppaea when they had any cause of conference But there was a dreame also obiected against one of them which was that he dreamed he had seene Claudius crowned with a crowne of eares of corne and the eares turned backwards interpreting that vision to signifie a dearth of corne Some report it to haue beene a garlande of vine braunches with white leaues which he sawe in his dreame and interpreted it to foretell that the death of the Prince shoulde follow at the end of Autumne Whatsoeuer the dreame was it is not to be doubted but that he and his brother were both put to death Crispinus had giuen him by decree of Senate fifteen hundred thousand sesterces and ornaments of the Pretor Vitellius added ten hundred thousand sesterces to be giuen to Sosibius bicause he had beene Britannicus Schoole-master and Claudius Counseller Scipio being demanded his opinion said Seeing I do thinke of Popaeus faults that which all you do thinke perswade your selues that I do say that which all you do say which was an excellent moderation and mean shewing the loue he bare hir as his wife and necessitie of giuing sentence being a Senator Suilius neuer ceased from accusations but prosecuted them with al crueltie and many followed his audacity for the Prince drawing vnto himselfe all the duties of lawes and magistrates opened the way to robberie Neither was there any marchandise more publikely bought and solde then the perfidiousnes of aduocates insomuch that Samius a woorthy gentelman of Rome hauing giuen Suilius fowre hundred thousand sesterces to pleade his cause and after perceiuing his preuarication and collusion ran vpon his sword in Suilius owne house Then C. Silius Consull elect of whose authoritie and fall I will speake in conuenient time beginning to speake the rest of the Senators rose vp and demanded earnestly that the lawe Cincia might be set
bondmen L. Varius somtimes Consull was restored to his dignitie remoued before for couetous dealing and extortion And Pomponia Graecina a noble woman and wife to Plautius who returned with a small triumph out of Britannia and accused of strange superstition was remitted to the iudgement of her husband and he according to the auncient custome in the presence of her neerest kindred heard her cause of life and death and pronounced her innocent This Pomponia liued long and in continuall sorrow for after that Iulia Drusus daughter was murdered by Messallinaes trecherie she was not seene for forty yeers but in mourning apparel and very sad doleful Which she might lawfully do whilest Claudius raigned afterward turned to her glory Many citizens were accused that yeere of which number P Celer being one at the information of the inhabitants of Asia because Caesar could not acquit him he prolonged his cause till he died of age For Celer as I haue alreadie sayd hauing besturred himselfe in the murdering of Silanus the Proconsull cloaked all other villanies vnder the greatnes of that lewd action The Cilicians accused Cossutianus Capito criminally noted and discredited with many vices thinking he had had the same priuilege of vsing insolent behauiour in the prouince as he had done in the citie But turmoiled and molested with an ouerthwart accusation in the end letting fall his defence was condemned of extorsion Great suings preuailed so much for Eprius Marcellus of whom the Lycians demaunded restitution that some of the accusers were banished as though they had indangered an innocent man VIII A liberalitie of Nero towards certaine decaied gentlemen The warre of Armenia renewed Tiridates departeth the countrey WHen Nero was the third time Consull Valerius Messalla entered the same office whose great grandfather Coruinus an orator some old men remember to haue beene companion in office with Augustus of famous memorie Neroes great grandfathers father But the honor of this noble familie was bettered by giuing Messalla by yeare fiue hundred thousand sesterces to relieue his harmelesse pouertie To Aurelius Cotta likewise and Haterius Antoninus the Prince graunted that an annuall sum of money should be giuen although they had wasted riotously the wealth their ancestors had left them In the beginning of that yeere the warre which was drawne at length with soft and milde beginnings vntill then betweene the Parthians and the Romans for obtaining of Armenia was nowe hotly pursued because Vologeses would neither suffer his brother Tiridates to be depriued of the kingdome in which he had inuested him nor that he should enioy it as a gift from another Lord and Corbulo thought it woorthie of the greatnes of the people of Rome to recouer that which by Lucullus and Pompey had beene once gotten The Armenians being doubtfull and faithfull to neither side inuited both yet by the site of their countrey and conformitie of conditions being more neere vnto the Parthians and intermingled with them by mariages and not knowing what libertie was inclined rather to that seruitude But Corbulo had more adoe with the slothfulnes of the souldiers then perfidiousnes of the enimies for the legions remoued from Syria by a long peace grown lazie and idle could hardly endure the labor and paines of the Roman discipline Certaine it was there were old souldiers in that campe which had neuer kept watch nor ward a rampire or trench they gazed at as at a new and strange deuise without head-peeces without curasses neate and fine hunting after gaine hauing spent all their seruice in townes Whereupon the olde and feeble being dismissed he desired a supplie which was had out of Galatia and Cappadocia And to them was added a legion out of Germanie with wings of horsemen and all the armie kept in campe although the winter were so hard and the earth so couered with yce that they could not pitch their tents vnlesse they had first digged the ground Manie of their limmes grew starcke with extremitie of cold and many died in keeping the watch And there was a souldier noted carriyng a faggot whose hands were so stiffe frozen that sticking to his burden they fell from him as though they had beene cut from his armes Corbulo slightly apparailed bare headed was with them when they marched when they laboured praised the stout comforted the feeble and gaue example vnto them all Then bicause many refusing to endure the hardnes of the season such rigor of discipline forsooke him he sought a redresse by seueritie for he did not pardon the first and second fault as in other armies but he suffered death presently who forsooke his ensigne which by experience proued more profitable then clemencie For fewer forsooke that campe then where there was much mercie shewen In the meane season Corbulo hauing kept the legions in campe vntill the spring and disposed the aydcohorts in conuenient places charged them not to giue the onset The charge of the garrisons he committed to Pactius Ophitus once Captaine of the first ensigne who although he wrote to Corbulo that the Barbarians were carelesse and disordered and a fit occasion offered of atchieuing some exploite yet he was commaunded to keepe within his garrison and expect greater power But breaking his commandement when he saw a few troupes of horsemen issue out of a castle hard by and vnskilfully demaund battell he encountered the enimie and went away with the losse And those which should haue seconded them terrified with that discomfiture fled as fast as they could euerie man to his hold which to Corbulo was an exceeding griefe Who rebuking Pactius and the Captaines and the souldiers commaunded them all to pitch their tents out of the campe and there kept them in that disgrace vntil they were deliuered by the intercession sute of the whole armie But Tiridates besides his own followers succoured by his brother Vologeses not now by stelth but with open warre molesteth Armenia spoiling all such he thought faithfull to vs and if any forces were brought against him he deluded them by flying hither and thither terrifiyng more by fame then fight Corbulo therefore seeking occasion to ioyne battell but in vaine and constrained to make war now in one place now in another as the enimy did seuered his forces to the end that the Lieutenants Captaines might inuade diuers places at once Withall he aduertised King Antiochus to set on the gouernment next adioyning to him For Pharasmanes his sonne Rhadamistus being slaine as a traitor towardes him to testifie his loyaltie towards vs shewed more willingly his inueterate hatred against the Armenians Then the Isichians a nation neuer before confederate with vs being nowe brought to our side inuaded the hardest passages of Armenia whereby all Tiridates deseignments were crossed He sent Embassadors to expostulate in his owne and the Parthians name Why hauing of late giuen hostages and renewed amitie which opened the way to new benefites he should be driuen from the auncient possession of Armenia therefore
the auncient manner Nero was against it suffering them to make choise of their manner of death for such kinde of scoffes were vsed after the murders committed P. Gallus a gentleman of Rome because he was inward with Fenius and not an enemie to Vetus was banished the freed man and accuser rewarded for his paines and a place giuen him in the Theater among the beadles of the Tribunes And the month of May which followed Aprill and called Nero was changed into the name of Claudius and Iuly into Germanicus and Cornelius Ofitus whose censure that was saide that therefore the month of Iune was past ouer because two of the Torquatus alreadie executed for their misdemeanors had made the name of Iune vnluckie A yeere continued with so many lewd actions the gods haue marked and made notorious by tempests and diseases Campania was destroied with boisterous stormes of windes which did euerie where beat downe houses woods and graine and brought the violence of it to places adioyning to the citie Where the rage of the pestilence spared none although there was no manifest shew of corruption of the aire to be seene Yet the houses were filled with dead bodies and the waies with funerals no sexe no age free from danger as well bond as free borne indifferently perished amidst the lamentations of their wiues and children who whilest they sat by them and bewailed were often burnt in the same funerall fire The death of gentlemen and Senators although in different with others lesse lamented as though they had by a common mortalitie preuented the Princes crueltie The same yeere they mustered in Gallia Narbonensis Affrick and Asia to supplie the legions of Illyria which worne out either with yeeres or sickenes were freede from their oath The Prince relieued the oalamitie of Lugdunum with fortie hundred thousand sesterces to recouer the losses of their citie which summe of money the Lugdunenses had before bestowed in troubled times III. The death of certaine noble men for desire of their wealth or other iealousies C. Suetonius and L. Telesinus being Confuls Antistius Sosianus banished as I haue sayd before for making slanderous verses against Nero vnderstanding that pickthankes were so honored and the Prince so forward to murders busie minded and not slow in taking hold of occasions insinuateth himselfe through conformitie of fortune into the fauour of Pammenes a banished man of the same place and for his skill in the Chaldean arte supported by the friendship of many This Antistius supposing that messages and consultations came not to him in vaine vnderstandeth withall that he had money yeerely supplied him by P. Anteius Neither was he ignorant that Anteius through the loue he bare to Agrippina was hatefull to Nero that his wealth as it had beene of others might be a motiue to procure his destruction Whereupon hauing intercepted Anteius letters and stolne his writings wherin the day of his natiuitie and things to come were hidden among Pammenes secrets and withall found those things which had beene composed of the birth and life of Ostorius Scapula writeth to the Prince that he would bring him great newes touching his owne safetie if he might obtaine a short intermission of his banishment for Anteius and Ostorius watch for opportunitie to lay hold on the soueraigntie and searched out their owne and Caesars destinies Therupon swift vessels were sent Sosianus brought with all speed And his accusation diuulged Anteius and Ostorius were reckoned rather among the condemned than accused in so much that no man would haue sealed Anteius testament if Tigellinus had not beene their warrant Anteius was first admonished not to delay the making of his testament but he hauing drunken poison weary of the slow working of it by cutting his vaines hastened his death Ostorius at that time was farre off in the confines of Liguria whither a Centurion was sent to make him away with all speed The cause of the haste proceeded of that that Ostorius being for matter of warre of good reckoning and deserued in Britannie a ciuicall crowne of a mightie strength of bodie and skilfull in armes droue Nero into a feare least he should assaile him alwaies timorous fearfull but then more then euer through the conspiracie lately detected The Centurion therfore when he had beset al escaping places openeth to Ostorius the Emperours cōmandement He conuerted against himself his courage often tried against the enimy And bicause his vaines whē they were opened yeelded but little blood vsing the hand of his slaue only to take out a rapier hold it stedfast he drew his right hand to him and ranne himselfe through the necke If I should haue written of forrein wars and deaths sustained for the common-wealth with diuers other accidents chances yet I should not only haue seemed tedious to my selfe but to others also abhorring the deaths of citizens being dolefull and continuall although honorable But now a seruile patience and so much bloode lost at home doth trouble my minde and oppresse it with griefe Neither do I require any other defence or excuse of those who shall know these things but that they hate them not for dying so cowardly That was certainely the anger of the gods against the Roman state which ought not so easily be runne ouer with once writing as in the ouerthrow of armies or taking of townes Let this prerogatiue be giuen the posteritie of worthie personages that as how they are distinguished from the confuse multitude in the solemnitie of their funerals so in the deliuerie of their last ends that they may receiue and haue a proper and peculiar memorie For within a fewe daies by the same violent course Annaeus Mella Cerialis Anicius Rufus Crispinus and C. Petronius perished Mella and Crispinus were gentlemen of Rome and equall in dignitie with Senators Crispinus once Captaine of the guarde and honored with Consularie ornaments and of late through the conspiracie exiled into Sardinia hauing receiued tydings he should die slew himselfe Mella borne of the same parents as Gallius and Seneca forbare purchasing of dignities by a preposterous ambition to the end that a Roman gentleman might be equalled in authoritie to the Consuls Withall he thought it a shorter course of getting wealth to mannage the affaires of the prince in quality of a Procurator The same Mella was Annaeus Lucanus father which was a great credit to him but after his death seeking out too narrowly his goods stirred vp an accuser against him one Fabius Romanus one of Lucans familiar friends which falsly fathered vpō him the father the priuitie of the conspiracie by counterfeiting of Lucans letters which Nero hauing perused commanded to be caried him gaping after his wealth But Mella which was then the readiest way to death loosed his vaines hauing bestowed in his testament a huge summe of money vpon Tigellinus and on his sonne in law Cossutianus Capito that the rest might stand good He added to his will as it were a complaint