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
which laie in garrison at Lugdunum The Turonians were ouerthrowne by the legionarie souldier which Visellius Varro Lieutenant of lower Germanie sent vnder the same captaine Auiola and certaine of the chiefe gentlemen of Gallia which brought him aide the better thereby to cloake their reuolt and when occasion serued rebell with more assurance Sacrouir was seene to demaund battell of the Romans bare headed as he saide to shewe his valour but the captaines said he did it to make himselfe the better knowne thereby to be spared from their darts Tiberius being consulted vpon that point made no reckoning of the disclosing of it but nourished the warre by doubting Florus in the meane time helde on his purpose enticed a wing of horsemen enrowled at Treuers and trained vp in our seruice discipline that hauing slaine the Roman merchants which there vsed trafficke he might begin the warre fewe of the horsemen were corrupted but most continued in their alleageance Other rude indebted persons or followers tooke armes and went towarde the forrest called Arden but the legions from both armies which Visellius and C. Silius had set to crosse them droue them backe Iulius Indus being of the same citie and an enimie to Florus and therefore more foreward to shew his valour being sent before with a choise power scattered and defeated that disordered multitude Florus escaped the conquerours hands by vncertaine lurking holes and at last perceiuing the souldiers to set on his places of refuge slewe himselfe with his own hands And that was the end of the rebellion of those of Treueri It was a matter of great difficultie to suppresse the Aedui by reason their city was more wealthie and the aide which should haue subdued them farther off Sacrouir had with certaine armed cohorts gotten possession of Augustodunum the chiefe citie of the countrey and taken the noblest mens children of all Gallia which there followed their studies as a pledge to win and binde their parents and kindred and withal secretly distributed weapons which himselfe had caused to be made to al the youth They were in number forty thousand the fift part armed as the legions were the others with hunting staues hangers such other weapōs as hūters vse To these were added certaine slauish fencers couered according to the countrey fashion from top to toe in armour of iron vnapt and vneasie to strike but to withstand impenetrable whom they call Crupellarij These forces were augmented though not by any open cōsent of cities adioining yet with euery mans particular good wil the Roman captaines striuing doubting who should haue the conducting of the warre both desiring it But Varro being old and feeble yeelded to Silius who was in his prime It was currant in Rome that not onely the Treueri and the Aedui but also that threescore and fower cities of Gallia had reuolted and the Germans ioined with them that Spaine was wauering and all as the nature of a report is beleeued more then it was Euery good man with a care of the common-wealth was greatly grieued many disliking the present state and desirous of alteration reioysed euen in their owne harmes and blamed Tiberius that in so great a hurlyburly he woulde still spende his labour in hearing accusers libels What saide they shall Iulius Sacrouir bee condemned of treason in Senate at last some were founde which with armes woulde suppresse these bloudy libels of accusers that a miserable peace was well changed for warre Tiberius so much the more composed to a careles securitie changed neither place nor countenance passed ouer those dayes after his accustomed woont either through haughtines of courage or because he knewe the matter to be lighter then the report In the meane time Silius marching on with two legions hauing sent a power of allies before wasteth the villages of the Sequans which were borderers and confederates with the Aeduans Anon after he marcheth speedily with his armie towardes Augustodunum the standard-bearers striuing who shoulde make most haste and the common souldier fretting and chasing likewise least he should rest the night as he was wont only that they might see the enemie and be seene that would be enough for the victorie Twelue miles off Sacrouir appeared in the champian countrey In the front he had placed his men couered with iron his cohorts on the wings and those which were halfe armed in the rereward himselfe mounted on a goodly courser amongst the chiefest of the citie went to the souldiers and put them in minde of the ancient glory of the Galli and how oft they had defeated the Romans How honorable a thing libertie was to the conquerors and how intollerable seruitude would be if they should be vanquished againe This exhortation was not long nor pleasing for the legions drew neere in battell aray the townesmen wanting discipline and ignorant of seruice did neither see nor heare what was best for them Silius on the contrary side although his hope had taken away all occasions of encouraging them yet cried That it was a shame for them being conquerors ouer the Germans to be brought against the Galli as against enemies and that of late one cohort had vanquished the rebellious Toronians one wing the Treueri a few troupes of horsemen of this same armie had put to flight the Sequans By how much the richer the Aedui are in money and abounding in pleasures the lesser courage they had Breake then in vpon them and binde them and flee to those which run away At that all of them giuing an out-cry the horsemen compassed them in the footemen set on the point and the wings made small resistance Those in complet yron harnes stuck somewhat to it their plates resisting and beating back the darts and swords but the souldier snatching his hatchets and axes as though he were to breake through a wall hewed their couering and carcasses Some with poles or forks ouerthrew this sluggish lump leauing them for halfe dead lying on the ground not once going about to rise Sacrouir goeth first to Augustodunum then for feare least it should be yeelded to the next village with a few of his trustiest friends where he slew himselfe with his owne hands and the rest one another and the village being set on fire ouer them they were all burnt together Then at last Tiberius wrote to the Senate that the warre was begun and ended neither adding nor taking away from the truth And that the Lieutenants had behaued themselues faithfully and valorously and himselfe directed them with counsell And withall yeelded the reasons why neither he nor Drusus went to the war magnifying the greatnes of the Empire and that it was not meete that Princes if some one or other towne rebell should forsake Rome from whence all other gouernment was deriued Now bicause there was no cause of feare he would goe see and settle the present estate of things The Lords of the Senat derceed vowes and processions for his returne with other conuenient
woman they inuaded her kingdome with a strong power of armed and choise youth Which was foreseene by vs and the cohorts sent to second her fought a hote battell which at the beginning was doubtfull though the end more ioyfull A legion also which Cesius Nasica commaunded fought with the like successe for Didius being stroken in yeeres and hauing receiued many honors thought it sufficient to execute his charge and driue away the enemie by the help of others These exploites although they were atchieued by two Propretors Ostorius and Didius in many yeeres yet I thought good to ioyne together least being seuered they should not so well haue beene remembred IX Nero Agrippinaes sonne is preferred before Britannicus sonne to Claudius NOw I will returne to the order of times Ti. Claudius beeing the fift time Consull and Ser. Cornelius Orfitus great haste was made to make Nero of full yeeres that he might seeme more capable of the gouernment And Caesar willingly yeelding to the flattery of the Lords of the Senate consented that Nero should be Consull at twentie yeeres of age and being elect in the meane season haue the Proconsulary authoritie out of the citie and be called prince of youth There was also giuen in his name a donatiue to the souldiers and a liberalitie to the people The Circensian playes being exhibited to win the fauour of the people Britannicus in his pretext and Nero in triumphing attire because the people should see the one in the magnificence of an Emperour and the other in the habite of a child thereby to presume what fortune to either of them should hereafter fall Withall if any of the Centurions or Tribunes bewayled Britannicus hap they were remoued either by fained pretences or vnder colour of preferment yea of the freed men if any were faithfull he was not suffered about him As these two met vpon occasion Nero saluted Britannicus by his name and Britannicus rendred him the like by the name of Domitius Which Agrippina taking hold of as a beginning of a quarrel carieth to her husband with a grieuous complaint saying that the adoption was nought set by the decree of Senate the ordinance of the people broken and abrogated in his owne house and if such contemptuous frowardnes of Britannicus teachers were not seuerely looked vnto it would burst out into some publike mischiefe Claudius moued with these complaints as though they had beene faults indeede either banished or put to death the chiefest bringers vp of his sonne and placed such ouer him as his stepmother would appoint Neuerthelesse Agrippina durst not leuell at her chiefest marke which was that her sonne should succeede in state vnlesse Lusius Geta and Rufus Crispinus captaines of Caesars gard were first discharged whom she thought would be mindfull of Messallinaes fauours towards them and therefore bound vnto her children Agrippina therefore beareth the Emperour in hand that the gard was deuided into factions through ambition of the two captaines striuing for superioritie that the discipline of seruice would be better kept if the souldiers were commaunded by one alone The charge of the cohorts was transferred vnto Burrhus Afranius a man of great fame for matter of seruice yet knowing well by whose practise and fauour he came to the place Agrippina began also to raise her owne estate to a higher degree by entering into the Capitol in a chariot which in times past was a custome only lawfull for the Priests in sacred rites which augmented the more the state of this woman because she was the onely example vnto this day of any one who being daughter of an Emperour hath been also sister wife and mother of an Emperour In the meane season her chiefest buckler Vitellius being in highest fauour and very old so slipperie is the state of great personages was accused by Iunius Lupus Senator of treason and aspiring to the Empire and Caesar readie to giue eare to the accusation if he had not rather changed his opinion by Agrippinaes threates then intreaties and so to banish the accuser which was the punishment Vitellius best liked That yeere many prodigious sights hapned as that many birds portending euill luck lighted vpon the Capitol many houses ruined by often earthquakes and the feare spreading among the astonied people many in throngs were smothered The want of corne and the famine which insued thereof was also construed as a presage of euill luck Neither did they complaine in secret only but came about Claudius as he gaue audience with turbulent clamors and hauing thrust him to the end of the forum followed him vntill that with a band of souldiers he brake through the prease It was most certaine that the citie was not victualled for aboue fifteene dayes but by the great goodnes of the gods and mildnes of the winter the citie was relieued in necessitie But truly in times past prouision of corne hath beene transported out of Italie into other prouinces farre distant And at this present we stand not in want through the barrennes of the countrey but we do rather manure Afrike and Aegypt and hazard the life of the people of Rome by sea whereof depends want or abundance X. Warres betweene the Romans and the Parthians THe same yeere a warre begun betweene the Armenians and Hiberi was cause of great troubles betwixt the Romans and the Parthians Vologeses was King of the Parthians descended by his mothers side of a Greek concubine yet got the kingdome by consent of his brothers Pharasmanes hath a long time possessed the Hiberians countrey as a King and his brother Mithradates the Armenians through our forces Pharasmanes had a sonne called Rhadamistus of a comely tall stature and of a verie strong and able bodie trained vp in the qualities and practises his father before him had beene and greatly renowned among his neighbors He was woont to say that the kingdome of Hiberia was small and yet kept from him by his father who was verie olde and so oft he did cast foorth those speeches and so fiercely that it was easily seene how greedie a desire he had to raigne Pharasmanes then seeing this yoong man so desirous and readie to rule misdoubting the peoples affection bent towardes him by reason of his declining yeeres thought it best to feede him with some other hope and set Armenia before his eies telling him that he had giuen that kingdome to Mithradates hauing first expulsed the Parthians Yet that it was not his best course to set on it by force but vse policie against Mithradates and intrap him when he least looked for it Rhadamistus vnder colour of some discontent with his father through the insupportable dealing of his stepmother goeth to his vncle where being intreated with all courtesie as if he had been his owne childe solliciteth the chiefe noble men of Armenia to rebellion Mithradates knowing nothing but still entertaining him with all fauour and kindnes Rhadamistus vnder colour of reconciliation returned vnto his father and declared
Iudges clemencie Not long after forsaking Achaia for the present the causes were vncertaine he came againe to Rome hammering greatly with himselfe of going to the prouinces of the East and especially Aegypt Then by an edict witnessing his absence should not be long and that all should go well with the common wealth he went to the Capitol to worship the gods And as he entered the temple of Vesta taken suddenly with a shaking ouer all his bodie either the goddesse of the place terrifying him or the remembrance of his villanies alwaies accompanying him with feare he changed his determination affirming that all cares were nothing to him in regard of the loue of his countrey that he had seene the sad countenances of the citizens heard their secret complaints why he should go about so great a iourney whose short and reasonable absence they could not indure as men wont to be comforted with the sight of the Prince against all crosses and aduersities Therefore as in priuat friendships the neerest pledges and kindred are most deerest so the people of Rome had great power ouer him and that he must obey them seeing they kept him from going These and the like speeches were pleasing to the people desirous of pastimes and which was their chiefest care fearing want of corne if he should be absent The Lords of the Senate and the nobilitie knew not whether he were more cruell farre off or neere then as the nature of all great feare is they beleeued that which hapned to be worst He to win an opinion that he was no where so merrie as in the citie made bankets in publick places and vsed the whole citie as it had beene his owne house Those bankets were most spoken of for riot and fame which Tigellinus prepared which I will lay downe as a parerne of all least the same wastfulnes should be often repeated In Agrippaes lake therefore he built a boate whereon the banket was drawne with other boates The boates were beset with gold and Iuory The rowers were stale Catamites placed according to their age and skill of vnnaturall vncleannes He had prepared Fowle and wilde beasts out of diuers countries and out of the Ocean On the brinke of the poole were brothell houses filled with noble women and ouer against them were common strumpets naked vsing filthie gestures and behauiour And when the night was come all the wood and houses about rang with singing and shined with lightes Nero himselfe defiled with lawfull and vnnaturall lusts left no wickednes vndone because he would be most corrupt And a few dayes after he was wedded as it had been solemnely to one of that polluted crew called Pythagoras The Emperour was couered with a yellow vaile There went before him those which gaue him in marriage the wedding bed was prepared and wedding torches all was seene which euen the night doth hide in a married woman IX Diuers parts of Rome burnt by chaunce or by the malice of Nero. THere followed a great misfortune but whether by chaunce or deuise of the Prince vncertaine for authors haue affirmed both but of all the greatest and most grieuous that euer chanced to this citie by violence of fire It began in that part of the Cirque that ioyneth to the hils Palatine Caelian then taking in the ware-houses wherein was marchandise which nourished the fire increasing more and more by the blowing of the winde burnt all the length of the Cirque Neither were the houses compassed with any defences or temples walled or any thing else to stay the furie of it But spreading with violence consumed first the plaine then rising to the hils againe wasting the low places by swiftnes of hurt preuented the remedies the citie being subiect to it by reason of the narrownes of the streetes turning and winding lanes on euery hand and vnorderly as it was in old Rome Therewithall the lamentations of fearefull women of aged men and vnskilfull youth helping themselues and succouring and leading the weake and impotent or tarrying for them some hastning some abiding encombred and hindered all the rest and often whilest they looked behinde them the fire had hold on them either on the side or before them or if they had escaped to the next places there was all on a light fire likewise yea those places which were thought farre from danger were found to be in the same case In the end doubtfull what to eschue or whither to flee they filled the streetes and lay in the fieldes some all their goodes lost and wanting dayly foode other for loue of some which they could not saue cast themselues away although they had easie meanes to escape Neither was there any man which durst to quench it through the often threatning of many which hindered them yea some openly threw burning fire-brands into it and cryed alowd that they had a warrant for it either because they might rob and steale more licentiously or because they were so commaunded Nero being then at Antium came not to the citie vntill the fire was come neere his owne house on that side that it ioyned with the pallace and Maecenas orchardes Yet it could not be hindered from burning his house and pallace and all else round about But to giue some cōfort to the chased fugitiue people he opened Campus Martius and the monumēts of Agrippa and his own gardens and erected buildings in haste to receiue the needie multitude Vtensiles were brought from Hostia and other neere townes and the price of corne brought downe vnto three nummos All which although done in fauour of the people yet was not accepted bicause a rumor was spread that at the verie time that the citie was on fire he went to the stage in his house and sang the destruction of Troy comparing present calamities with old disasters At last on the sixt day the fire ended at the bottom of the Esquilin hill by beating downe a huge number of buildings that the fielde and as it were the open heauen might withstand and encounter the continuall rage And before the feare was past it began afresh but not so terriblie in open places of the citie and therfore the hurt of people the lesse but the Temples of the gods and galleries deuoted to pleasure were almost all ruined The obloquie of that fire was the greater bicause it burst out to Tigellinus houses of pleasure sometimes belonging to the Aemylians And it seemed that Nero sought the glorie of building a new citie and calling it by his name For Rome was diuided into fourteene wardes whereof fower were vntouched three consumed to the ground of the other seauen some markes of buildings remained but rent and halfe burnt It were no easie matter to reckon the number of houses and buildings standing by themselues called Iles and Temples which were consumed but the auncientest in regard of religion as the Temple which Seruius Tullius built in honour of the Moone and the great altar and Temple
and desiring that they might renew right hands and that in honor of Germanicus he would come to the banke of Euphrates And requested in the meane time that Vonones might not remaine in Syria least he should by messengers draw the noble men of the countrey round about to ciuill dissentions Touching the alliance Germanicus answered magnificently but concerning the kings comming and the honor done to himselfe he answered ciuilly and with great modestie Vonones was remoued to Pompeiopolis a sea towne in Cilicia not so much at Artabanus request as to spite Piso vnto whom he was most acceptable for many benefits and gifts bestowed vpon Plancina XV. Germanicus voiage to Aegypt and Thebes Maroboduus and Catualda both expelled flee to the Romanes WHen M. Silanus and L. Norbanus were Consuls Germanicus went to Aegypt to see the antiquities of the countrey but pretended a care of the prouince where he opened their storehouses and brought downe the price of corne and did other things to win the fauour of the people as to go without souldiers weare open shoes apparell himselfe like the Grecians imitating P. Scipio whom we haue heard to haue done the like in Sicily when the war was hottest against the Affricans Tiberius hauing lightly blamed him for his behauior and apparell did most sharply rebuke him that contrary to Augustus order without the princes licence he had entered Alexandria For Augustus amongst other secrets of state had reserued Aegypt and forbidden all Senators Noblemen and Gentlemen to enter into it but with permission least Italy should be oppressed with famine who soeuer should be maister of that prouince being the key of the sea and land and easily defended with a small power against a strong host But Germanicus not knowing that his voiage was misliked went vp Nilus beginning at the towne Canopus which the Lacedemonians built because Canopus the gouernor of their ship was buried there when Meuelaus going backe to Greece was carried to a contrary sea and land of Libya The next mouth of the riuer from thence is dedicated to Hercules the first of which name was borne there as the inhabitants do report and of whom all which come after him of like valour and vertue tooke their surname After that he visited the great monuments of auncient Thebes where yet were to be seene Aegyptian letters in old buildings which contained their ancient wealth And one of their auncientest Priests being commaunded to interpret those letters in the countrey language related that in times past there had dwelt in that citie seauen hundred thousand persons of age fit to beare armes and that with that armie King Rhamses had conquered Libya Aethiopia Media and Persia Bactria and Scythia and the countries which the Syrians and the Armenians and the Cappadocians their next neighbours inhabited and that their dominion reached from the Bithynian to the Lycian sea There were also read the tributes imposed ouer nations the weight of siluer and gold the number and furniture of horses and armour the gifts giuen to the Temples the Iuory sweete sauours and what plentie of corne what vtensiles euerie nation was charged to furnish which were no lesse magnificall then are now commaunded by the forces of the Parthi or power of the Romans But Germanicus was yet tied to other miracles whereof the chiefest was the image of Memnon made of stone when it was stroken with the sunne beames yeelding a sound like a mans voice and the Pyramides as great as mountaines on the not passable sandes built a vie by Kings in times past to shew their riches and the ditches wrought by handie worke to receiue the ouerflowing of Nilus so narrow in some places and so deepe in others that the bottome cannot be found by any search From thence he came to Elephantines and Syenes in times past the bounds of the Roman Empire which now openeth to the red sea Whilest Germanicus spent that sommer in visiting many Prouinces Drusus gate no small honour by sowing sedition in Germanie and incensing them to pursue Maroboduus already weakened euen to his vtter ruine Among the Gotones there was a noble yoong man called Catualda who through Maroboduus violence hauing before fled his countrey things standing nowe in doubtfull termes ventured a reuenge And with a strong power entered the frontiers of the Marcomans and hauing corrupted the chiefe noble men to his confederacie forceth the Kings pallace and a castle hard by Where he found the olde spoiles of the Sueuians and the base rascals of our Prouince and certaine marchants whom intercourse of Marchandice and a desire of increasing their wealth or last of all a forgetfulnes of their countrey had drawen from their own dwellings to the enimies countrey Maroboduus being forsaken of all hands had no other refuge left but the mercie of the Romans And hauing passed the riuer of Danub where it coasteth the Prouince of Notica wrote vnto Tiberius not as a fugitiue and suppliant but putting him in minde of his former fortune and estate alleaging that when sundrie nations inuited him to their alliance being sometimes a renowned King he preferred the amity of the Romans before them al. Caesar answered him that he should haue a sure and honorable dwelling in Italie if he listed to remaine there but if any thing of greater aduauncement should happen vnto him that he should depart with the same safe conduct he came thither Afterward he declared in Senat that the Athenians had no such cause to feare Philip nor the people of Rome Pyrrhus and Antiochus as this man An oration of his is yet extant wherein he extolleth his power the strength of the nations he had vnder him and how neere an enimie he was to Italie and what plots he had deuised to roote him out Maroboduus was receiued at Rauenna that if at any time the Sueuian should waxe insolent he was in sight as it were alwaies readie to returne But he departed not Italie the space of eighteene yeeres and grew old with losse of reputation through ouer great desire of liuing The like hope had Catualda and no other refuge for not long after being driuen out by the Hermunduri vnder the conduct of Vibilius he was receiued and sent to Forum Iulij a colonie of Gallia Narbonensis The barbarous people which followed both these lest being mingled among others should disturbe the quiet Prouinces were placed beyond Danubium betwixt the riuers Marus and Cusus and a King giuen them of the Quadian nation XVI Wars betwixt Rhescuporis and Cotys Rhescuporis is sent to Rome NEwes being come that Artaxias was by Germanicus made King of Armenia the Lords of the Senat ordained that Germanicus and Drusus should enter into the citie ouant or with a small triumphe and that arches should be erected about the sides of the Temple of Mars the Reuenger with the images of the two Caesars Tiberius being more glad that he had established a peace by wisedome then if he should haue ended the war
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
that it was not lawfull for Iupiters Priests to go out of Italie And that they had no other law then the Priests of Mars and Quirinus And if these had gouerned the Prouinces why was it vnlawfull for the Diales that there was no law of the people touching that matter found in the bookes of ceremonies The high Priest had often celebrated Iupiters sacrifices if the Flamen had beene hindered by sickenes or publicke affaires Seuentie and two yeeres after that Cornelius Merula was murdered no man was put to supplie the place and yet the ceremonies neuer ceased And if his creation could be omitted for so many yeeres without any hinderance to the sacrifices how much easlier might a man be absent with the Proconsularie dignitie for a yeere In times past they were forbidden to goe out of the Prouinces through the priuat grudges of the high Priest now through the fauour of the gods the high Priest was the soueraign aboue all men not subiect vnto emulation malice or priuat affection Against which when Lentulus the Augur and others had diuersly spoken in the ende they resolued to expect the censure of the high Priest Tiberius hauing deferred the hearing of the Flamins right moderated the ceremonies which were decreed in honor of Drusus Tribuniciall dignitie rebuking by name the insolencie of that sentence which would haue had the decree written in letters of gold against the custome of the countrey Drusus letters were also read which although they seemed to tend to modesty yet were reputed most proude They complained that things were growen to that passe that the yoong man hauing receiued so great honour yet vouchsafed not to visit the gods of the citie nor shew himselfe in Senat or begin at least his authoritie in his owne countrey But forsooth he is let by warre or hindered in some strange countrey when indeed he solaceth himselfe at his pleasure in the shores and lakes of Campania This lesson had the ruler of the world taught him this did he first learne of his fathers Counsels Although the olde Emperour should disdaine to come and shewe himselfe to the citizens and pretend his yeeres and trauell for an excuse yet what impediment hath Drusus but onely his arrogancie XIII A reformation of Sanctuaries BVt Tiberius strengthening in himselfe the soueraigntie left the Lords of the Senate a shadow of their auncient estate by sending the requests of the prouinces to their examination The licence and impunitie of ordaining Sanctuaries and priuiledged places increased throughout the cities of Greece The temples were filled with most lewd bondslaues in the same refuges were receiued debtors against their creditors and suspected of capitall crimes Neither was there any authoritie able to bridle the sedition of the people protecting all villanies no lesse then the ceremonies of the gods Whereupon it was concluded that the cities should send their Embassadors with their priuiledges which some left off of their owne accord as falsly vsurped many trusted to old superstitions or pleasures done to the people of Rome The pomp of that day was great in shew in which the Senators considered of the prerogatiues of their predecessors the agreements of confederates the decrees of kings which had bene before the Romans had gotten such great power and authoritie and the religions of the gods themselues being yet in the disposition of the Senate to confirme or alter all as in times past they could haue done The first which shewed themselues in Senate were the Ephesians declaring that Diana and Apollo were not borne in the Iland Delos as the common people did beleeue and there was in their countrey a riuer called Cenchrius and a wood called Ortygia where Latona being great with childe and leaning against an oliue tree which is yet in the place brought forth those two gods and that by the commaundement of the gods that wood was made sacred And that Apollo himselfe did in that place flee from Iupiters anger after he had slaine the Cyclopians After that Bacchus the conqueror in warre pardoned the Amazones which humbling themselues there caught hold of the altar And that the ceremonie of that temple increased by Hercules permission when he inioyed Lydia which was not diminished when the Persians had dominion ouer it After that the Macedonians then we had maintained the same priuiledges Next vnto those came in the Magnesians building their reasons on L. Scipio and L. Sullaes constitutions the one driuing out Antiochus and the other Mithridates and extolled the loyaltie and vertue of the Magnesians and commaunded that Diana Leucophrynes priuiledges should not be violated Then followed the Aphrodisienses Stratonicenses alleaging an order made by Caesar the Dictator and another later decree of Augustus of famous memory for the pleasures done them in taking part with their side during the time of their faction praysing them that they had sustained the assaults of the Parthians nothing at all changing their constancie towards the people of Rome But the Aphrodisienses maintained the priuiledges of Venus temple and the Stratonicenses Iupiter and Triuias ceremonies The Hierocaesarienses fetchte their matter from a farther beginning inducing their Dianapersica and a temple dedicated by king Cyrus and told a tale of Perperna of Isauricum and many other Emperours which graunted that holines not only to the temple but to two miles compas Then followed the Cyprians declaring that they had three temples whereof the most auncient was builded by Aerias and consecrated to Venus Paphia the second by his sonne Amathus and dedicated to Venus Amathusia the third to Iupiter Salaminius built by Teucer when hee fled from his father Telamon The Embassadors of other cities were heard likewise with whose multitude the Lords of the Senate being wearied some fauoring one side some another and because they contended which had merited most they referred the matter to the Consuls that looking into the right of the cause if they contained any secret abuse they should bring the whole cause againe to the Senate The Consuls besides those cities which I haue aboue named spake of another priuiledged place for malefactors dedicated to Aesculapius at Pergamum affirming that the rest were grounded vpon obscure beginnings in respect of their antiquitie The Smyrnaeans alleaged an oracle of Apollo by which they were commaunded to dedicate a temple to Venus Stratonicis the Tenians a verse of the same Apollo commaunding them to offer an image and temple to Neptune The Sardians brought in matters of later memory that to be Alexander the conquerors gift and the Milesians did the like vsing king Darius name for their franchise but both of these did worship Diana and Apollo The Cretensians made request that the image of Augustus might haue some priuiledge and decrees of Senate were made by which with great honor yet moderation was prescribed vnto all and commaundement giuen in those very temples to erect altars for a sacred memorie yet so that vnder colour of religion they should not fall into
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
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
Mithridates chasing away the King no lesse by their owne manhood then Lucullus aide But Fonteius Capito who had beene Proconfull of Asia was quit of the accusation falsely forged against him by Vibius Serenus And yet Serenus escaped vnpunished being odious generally to all and therfore in greater safetie For the more bitter an accuser he was the lesse touched and as it were a sacred person but the light and base were punished At the same time farther Spaine sent Ambassadors to the Senat requesting that by the example of Asia they might build a Temple in honour of Tiberius and his mother Tiberius taking hold of this occasion though otherwise not greedie of honors thought it conuenient to answere those who had rumored abroad that he was carried away with ambition as followeth I know Lords of the Senat that many will accuse me of vnconstancie for not deniyng the same request vnto the cities of Asia I will therefore now declare vnto you the defence of my former silence and what I would haue done hereafter Seeing that Augustus of famous memorie did not hinder those of Pergamum to erect a Temple in honour of himselfe and the citie of Rome I who obserue all his deedes and wordes in steed of a law did the willinglier follow that approoued precident bicause the honor done vnto mee redounded likewise to the Senate But as it deserueth pardon once to haue accepted that honour so throughout all the Prouinces with images like vnto gods to be reuerenced sauoreth of ambition and pride and Augustus honor would come to naught if it should by flatterie vsed euerie where be made common I for my part Lords of the Senat protest before you all and desire that posteritie know that I am mortall and do like vnto men and take it for honour ynough to be Prince And they shall attribute enough to my memorie which will beleeue that I haue not degenerated from my ancestors that I haue beene carefull in your affaires constant in dangers not fearfull of displeasure for the profit of the common-wealth These things shall be for me temples in your mindes these beautifull and lasting images for those which are built of stone if in iudgment of posteritie they become odious are contemned for sepulchers Therefore I pray our allies citizens gods and goddesses these that they would giue me vntill the ende of my life a quiet minde with the vnderstanding of diuine and humane lawes those that whensoeuer I shall depart out of this life they would haue me in remembrance with an honorable memory of my deeds renown of my name And in priuate places afterward disliked such adoration which some interpreted to proceed of modestie many of distrust and some for basenes of mind and want of courage because of mortall men the best aspire highest so Hercules and Bacchus among the Grecians Quirinus among vs were added to the number of the gods Augustus had done better in hoping to be one Princes haue all other things at will one thing they should insatiably seeke for which is to leaue a happie memorie after them for by contemning of fame they contemne the vertues which engender it IX Seianus requesteth of Tiberius that he might marry Liuia Drusus vvidow And perswadeth Tiberius to vvithdraw himselfe from the Citie BVt Seianus sottishly mad with ouergreat fortune and enflamed with a burning desire of Liuia importunately demaunding a performance of a promised marriage inditeth and sendeth letters to Caesar because the custome was that although the Prince were present yet to present their petitions by writing the contents were as followeth That the good will of his father Augustus was such towards him and Tiberius also by diuers signes did shew him such fauour that he would not sooner offer his hopes and vowes vnto the gods then vnto the eares of Princes That he neuer thirsted after high and eminent dignities but chose rather to watch and trauell like a common souldier for the safetie of the Emperour notwithstanding that he had obtained that which seemed to be of all other the greatest honor that is that he should be thought worthy of Caesars alliance from whence sprang the beginning of his hope And because he had heard that when Augustus in the bestowing his daughter had thought euen of gentlemen of Rome so he besought him if a husband were thought vpon for Liuia that he would haue him as a friend in minde who would be content with the glory only to be allied to him neuer purposing thereby to giue vp the charge imposed vpon him nor relinquish his vsuall care but would hold himselfe satisfied if his house might be assured against Agrippinas wicked malice and that in regard of his children and as for himselfe he desired to liue no longer then he could employ himselfe in the seruice of his Prince Tiberius hauing praised Seianus great loue and zeale and chiefely run ouer the benefits he had receiued of him demaunding time as it had bene fully to deliberate on the matter added That other men consulted of that only which was for their profit but the conditions of Princes was of a different qualitie whose speciall drift was to direct their actions to fame and therefore would not fall into that which was easie for him to haue written That Liuia could determine with her selfe whether she would marry againe or not or remaine in the same familie that she had a mother and grandmother as neerer counsellers he therefore would deale more simply and speake first of Agrippinaes enmities which would be farre more incensed if Liuiaes marriage should deuide Caesars house as it were into parts and breede emulation betweene the women and consequently the ouerthrow of his nephewes What if any variance arise in that marriage Thou art deceiued Seianus if thou thinkest to continue in the state thou art now in if thou marry Liuia who hath beene wife vnto C. Caesar and afterward to Drusus and imagin that she beareth the minde to passe the rest of her life with a Gentleman of Rome And if I should agree vnto it doest thou thinke that they would suffer it who haue seene her brother her father our auncetors in greatest dignities Thou wilt continue in the calling thou art now in but those magistrates and noble men which maugre thy teeth mount to authoritie and determine of all matters do report it and that not in hugger mugger that a long time since thou hast climed higher then the degree of a gentleman and gone beyond my fathers friendship and for the hatred they beare vnto thee blame me But Augustus thought once to marry his daughter to a gentleman of Rome Truly it was to be maruelled that being distracted with so many cares and foreseeing that he who should match in that place should by that alliance rise to great aduancement he would in familiar conference thinke vpon Proculeius and some others which liued a notable quiet life not medling at all with matters of estate But if we be
Caesars knees crieth out that Messallina had married Silius and withall asketh Cleopatra who was there present of purpose to be asked the question who nodding with her head in token that shee had commandeth Narcissus to be called for he crauing pardon of that which was past and that he had concealed the adulterie betweene Messallina and Vectius and betweene her and Plautius added further that the best way was not to reproch him of his adulteries nor demaund his house his seruants other princely ornaments embezeled away but let him said Narcissus inioy them so as he would restore thee thy wife and cancell the writings of marriage Doest thou know saith he further of thy diuorsement for Silius marriage the people saw the Lords of the Senate and the souldiers and if thou make not haste the new married man will be Lord of the citie Hereupon Claudius calleth for the chiefest of his friends and first of all for Turranius chiefe officer for prouision of corne then Lusius Geta captaine of the gard asking them what they knew of the matter who confessing it all the rest came cluttering about him crying that he should haste away to the camp strengthen his gard prouide first for his safetie then reuenge Sure it is that Claudius was so surprised with feare that he did eftsoones aske whether he were yet soueraigne of the Empire whether Silius were yet a priuat man without charge But Messallina neuer more loose and dissolute in lusts the Autumne being well spent celebrated in her house the feast of grape gathering the presses were wrung the vessels flowed with wine women danced about girt with skins like vnto mad women solemnizing the feasts of Bacchus she her selfe her haire hanging loose about her eares shaking a iauelin wrapped about with vine leaues Silius hard by her couered with Iuie with buskins on his legs casting the head hither and thither with a shamelesse companie of dancers shouting and singing about them It is reported that Vectius Valens toying and iesting climed vp a high tree and being demaunded what he saw there made answere a cruell tempest comming from Hostia Whether any such thing did appeare or whether it were a word slipt by chance it was turned to a presage of future danger Not a rumor any longer but messengers come from all parts bringing them tidings that Claudius knew all and was comming readie to reuenge Messallina then conueyeth her selfe into the gardens which sometimes belonged to Lucullus Silius dissembling his feare went to his busines in the Forum The rest some slipping one way some another the Centurions layd hold on and bound with yrons as they were found either abroad or in corners and lurking places Messallina albeit this sudden crossing had almost put her besides her selfe yet thought it best as a shift which neuer failed at a pinch to meete her husband and shew her selfe vnto him and commaunded Britannicus and Octauia to go before and cast themselues betwixt their fathers armes and prayed Vibidia the auncientest of the virgins Vestall to go to the high Priest and intreate him he would shew clemencie in her behalfe And in the meane time accompanied with three persons only so naked was she left on the sudden hauing gone afoote ouer all the citie at last in a tumbrell which caried away the riddings of gardens she taketh her way towards Hostia no one pitying her because the filthines of her wicked life swayed downe all compassion Neuerthelesse Caesar trembled because he distrusted Geta captaine of his gard a man as lightly carried to bad as to good Whereupon Narcissus hauing taken those with him which had the like feare assured Caesar he had no other hope of safetie left then to transferre the whole commaundery of the souldiers that one day vnto some one of his freed men and offereth himselfe to be the man And fearing least whilest he were brought vnto the citie he might be induced by L. Vitellius or P. Largus Caecina to repent him he desireth taketh a place in the same chariot with the Emperour The fame was common afterwards that among diuers of the princes speeches now blaming his wiues lightnes now calling to minde the band of matrimonie and infancie of his children Vitellius neuer vsed other speech then ô wickednes ô shame Narcissus vrged him to speake plainely and go no more about the bush yet he could not winne so much of him but would still answere in doubtfull tearmes and such as might be construed as euery man listed to draw them and Largus Caecina did the like XI Silius and Messallina punished with others her adulterers NOw Messallina was in sight and cried that he would heare Octauia and Britannicus mother when as the accuser made a noise on the other side naming Silius and the marriage and withall presented vnto him certaine writings bewrayers of her lusts and lasciuiousnes to the ende he might turne Caesars sight from her And not long after the children had betweene them had beene presented vnto him as he entered the citie if Narcissus had not commaunded them to be conueied away But Vibidia could not be driuen away but requested importunately with nipping termes that his wife vnheard might not be put to death Hereupon Narcissus answered that the Prince should heare her and that she should haue libertie to purge herselfe In the meane space that she should depart and attende her sacrifices Claudius vsed a woonderfull silence whilest all those speeches past Vitellius was as one that knew little all obeied the freed man he commaunded the adulterers house to be opened and the Emperor to be brought thither And there first of all in the entrie he shewed the Emperor the image of Silius father defaced by decree of Senate Then told him that whatsoeuer the Neroes or Drusi had rich and Princely had beene giuen to Silius for a reward of his reptochfull adulterie then seeing Claudius inflamed and bursting into threats leades him to the soldiers camps verie readie to heare an oration vnto whom as Narcissus had before aduised him he vsed some fewe words For although he had iust cause of griefe yet shame hindered him Immediately all the bands cried togither continually demaunding the names and punishment of the offenders And Silius brought to the barre neither went about to iustifie himselfe nor craue respite but intreated that his death might be hastened The same constancie made other famous gentlemen of Rome desire the hastening of their death He commaunded Titius Proculus guard vnto Silius and Messallina and Vectius Valens offering to detect other crimes and confessing the same and Pompeius Vrbicus and Saufellus Trogus all of counsell to the fact to be brought to execution Decius Calphurnianus likewise Captaine of the watch Sulpicius Rufus ouerseer of the plaies Iuncus Virgilianus a Senator receiued the like punishment Onely Mnester delayed his punishment renting his clothes and crying that he would looke vpon the markes of the stripes and call to mind his own words which were that
different in conditions VI. Whether it be conuenient to haue often playes to entertaine the people NEro being the fourth time Consull and Cor. Cossus the play called Quinquennale was ordained to be played at Rome after the maner of the Greeke combate whereof there went diuers reports as almost it hapneth in all new things for some there were which said that Gn. Pompeius was blamed by the ancient men for building a permanent Theater For in times past the playes were wont to be set forth on a skaffold built for that time and seates to continue no longer then the play lasted Or if thou wilt looke into more ancient times the people beheld them standing least if they should sit they would continue in the Theater whole daies in idlenes Neither should the ancient fashion of playes be obserued whē * as oft as the Pretors shuld set them forth no necessity was laid vpō any of the citizens to fight or looke on But the customes of the countrey being by little and little abolished were now vtterly ouerthrowne by disorders set from strange countries that whatsoeuer elsewhere might corrupt or was corrupted was seene in the citie and the youth vnlike to that it hath beene through strange manners wrestling naked idlenes and licentious loue the Prince and the Senate being authors thereof who haue not only giuen licence to vices but also giuen them strength and force The noblemen of Rome vnder colour of making orations and verses are discredited by stage-playing What remaineth then but only to vncloath themselues starke naked and take the caesti in hand and practise that fight in stead of armes and exercises of warre Or do they thinke they shall better vnderstand the knowledge of southsaying be more skilfull in the decuries of gentlemen accomplish the honorable charge of Iudicature if they vnderstand cunningly broken tunes and sweerenes of voices whole nights also were added to those shames because no time should be left honest but in that confuse multitude what euery person most dissolute desired by day durst venter on by night That licence pleased many and yet they cloaked it with honest termes That the ancients likewise did not abhorre the delight of playes and shewes according to their calling at that time and that stage-players were sent for from Thuscia The horse-race was represented by the Thurians but since Achaia and Asia was possessed by vs playes haue beene more exactly set foorth Neither hath there beene any one in Rome nobly descended which by reason of stage-playes hath discredited the stocke from whom he came these two hundred yeeres since L. Mamius triumphed who first set forth that kinde of shew in the citie Farther there was a regard had vnto thrift in erecting a continuall standing Theater rather then with infinite charges euery yeere set vp and build a new Neither should the magistrates waste their goods as they haue done on the people haue cause to be importunate with them for the combates according to the Greekes manner seeing the common-wealth did defray the charge The victories of orators and poets would be an incouragement vnto wits neither could it be offensiue to any iudge to lend his eares to honest studies and allowable pastimes To mirth rather then lasciuiousnes a few nights in fiue yeeres were giuen in which there is such great light of fires that no vnlawfull acte can be hidden In very deede that shew past without any notable dishonest part committed neither did the people shew any great insolencie although the common vices were restored to the stage and forbidden to shew themselues in such playes as were represented in honor of the gods The praise of eloquence none caried away but Caesar was pronounced victor and the Greekish attire which many wore in those dayes was layd aside VII Nero falleth sicke DVring these things there appeared a blasing starre which in the opinion of the common people betokeneth the change of a Prince Therfore as though Nero had alreadie beene driuen out they were busie to knowe who should succeede him Rubellius Plautus being famous in euerie mans mouth by the mothers side descended from the Iulian familie He was an obseruer of the old manner of liuing vpright graue and seuere liuing with all honestie as one retired in his own house and the more secret he was for feare of being accounted of so much the more his reputation increased An interpretation of a lightning begun by the like vanitie augmented the rumor For Neroes meate being striken with lightning and the table throwen downe at the lakes of Simbruinum in a place called Sublaqueum in the confines of Tiburtum from whence Plautus had his beginning by his fathers side all men beleeued that he was destined by the prouidence of the gods to the Empire and thereupon many fawned and courted him which by a greedie and for the most part deceiptfull ambition admire new things doubtfull and vncertaine Nero moued with these rumors writeth to Plautus aduising him to looke to himself and his assemblies and rid his hands of those which lewdly defamed him and that in Asia he had possessions by descent from his auncestors in which he might passe his youth safely and without troubles Whereupon he went thither with Antistia his wife and a few of his familiars At the same time too greedy a desire of pleasing his will in all he liked bred Nero both infamie and danger for swimming in the fountaine of the Martian water which was brought to the citie it was construed that he had defiled the holy drinkes and ceremonie of the place with his whole bodie and falling dangerously sicke thereupon it was constantly beleeued that it proceeded as a punishment from the wrath of the gods VIII Corbulo conquereth all Armenia ouer which Nero sendeth Tigranes to be King BVt Corbulo after the rasing of Artaxata thinking it his best to make profit of the fresh terrour for the easilier forcing of Tigranocerta by destroying of which he should augment feare in the enimie or by sparing it purchase the reputation of clemencie marcheth thither vsing no hostilitie by the way least he should take from them all hope of pardon yet with no remisnes or carelesse proceeding as one knowing that that nation is easilie subiect to chaunge as slow to perill so faithles when occasion is offered The Barbarians euerie man according to his wit some entreated some forsooke their villages and conueighed themselues to inaccessible places some hid themselues and the things they made most reckoning of in caues The Roman Captaine therefore vsing diuers policies shewed mercie towards the humble vsed celeritie in pursuing those which ranne away and crueltie against those which fled to the dennes and caues stopping the mouthes of them with vine branches and small wood and after set them on fire And passing by the confines of the Mardians a people well practised in theeuing and robbing they set on him but fled to their mountaines for their defence when they saw he turned towards
that the legion which durst vndertake the battell was slaine the rest had either hid themselues in their camp or fought meanes by flight to saue themselues that they could not indure the noise and cry of so many souldiers much lesse their furie and strength If they would waigh with themselues the strength of the souldiers if the cause of the warre they should resolue either to vanquish in that battell or die That for her owne part being a woman was her resolution the men might liue if they pleased and serue Suetonius held not his toong in so great danger who although he trusted in the valour of his souldiers yet enterlaced exhortations and prayers That they should contemne the lowde and vaine threates of the barbarians that there were more women seene in their armie then yong men that being vnwarlike and vnarmed they would presently yeeld when they should once come to feele the weapons and valour of the conquerors who had so oft ouerthrowne them yea where many legions haue beene a few haue caried away the glory of the battell and it should be an augmenting to their glory if with a small power they could win the praise of a whole armie that they should only continue the slaughter and butcherie close together by throwing of darts then with their swords and pikes of their bucklers not thinking on bootie for the victorie once gotten all should fall to their share Such a feruencie and edge followed the captaines words the old souldier experienced in many battels so besturred himselfe and shewed such forwardnes in lancing his darts that Suetonius assured of the euent gaue the signe of battell And first of all the legion not stirring afoote but keeping within the streight as in a place of defence after that the enemie was come neerer and had spent his darts to good purpose the legion in the end sallied out in a pointed battell The auxiliarie souldier was of the like courage and the horsemen with long lances breaking before them all they met or made head against them The residue shewed their backs hardly fleeing away by reason the carts placed about the plaine had hedged in the passages on euery side And the souldiers spared not from killing so much as the women and their horses and beasts thrust through increased the heape of bodies That was a day of great renowme and comparable to the victories of old times for some there are which report that there were slaine fewe lesse in number then fourscore thousand Britaines of our souldiers fower hundred slaine and not many moe hurt Boudicea ended her life with poison And Poenius Posthumus Campe-maister of the second legion vnderstanding of the prosperous successe of the foureteenth and twentith legions because hee had defrauded his legion of the like glorie and contrarie to the order of seruice refused to obey the Captaines commaundement slewe himselfe After this gathering the armie togither they encamped againe readie to end the residue of the warre And Caesar augmented his forces by sending out of Germanie two thousand legion aries eight cohorts of auxiliaries and a thousand horse by whose comming the ninth legion was supplied The cohorts and wings were lodged in newe winter garrisons and all those which were either openly against vs or doubtfull were wasted with fire and sword But nothing so much distressed that nation as famine being negligent in sowing of corne and of all ages giuen to warre and assuring themselues to liue on our prouision being a fierce nation slowly gaue eare to any peace For Iulius Classicianus sent to succeed Catus and at variance with Suetonius hindered the common good with pruate grudges and had bruted abroad that the new Lieutenant was to be expected who without any hostile rancor pride of a conqueror would entreat such as would yeelde with all clemencie He sent worde likewise to Rome that they should looke for no ende of the warres vnlesse some other should succeed Suetonius attributing his aduerse lucke to his own ouerthwartnes and the prosperous to the good lucke of the common-wealth Whereupon to see what state Britannie stood in Polycletus a freed man was sent Nero greatly hoping that by his authoritie there should not onely an agreement be made betweene the Lieutenant and Procurator but also the rebellious mindes of the Barbarians be won to a peace Neither failed Polycletus with his great hoast to seeme burdesome to Italie and Gallia and after he had passed the Ocean sea shew himselfe terrible euen to our souldiers But to the enimies he was but a laughing stocke who being in ful possession of libertie knew not what the power of freed men was and began to maruell that a Captaine and an armie which had atchieued so many great exploits could yeeld to obey a bond-slaue all things neuerthelesse were made the best to the Emperour And Suetonius being occupied in dispatching of busines after he had lost a fewe galleies on the shore and the gallie-slaues in them as though the warre did continue was commaunded to deliuer the armie to Petronius Turpilianus who had lately giuen vp his Consulship who neither prouoking the enimie nor egged by him gaue his lasie and idle life the honorable name of peace XII Balbus a Senators testament forged and Pedanius Rufus killed by his bondmen THe same yeere two notable lewd parts were committed at Rome the one by a Senator the other by an audacious bondman Domitius Balbus sometime Pretor being aged without children and of great wealth lay open to much treacherie One of his neerest kinsmen Valerius Fabianus and Consull elect forged a false testament in his name hauing called thereunto Vicius Rufinus and Terentius Lentinus gentlemen of Rome and they associated vnto them Antonius Primus and Asinius Marcellus Antonie was readie and bold Marcellus nobly descended and nephewe to Asinius Pollio of a good cariage and behauiour sauing that he thought pouertie the woorst of all things Fabianus then sealed the testament with those which I haue named and others of lesser calling whereof he was conuicted before the Lords of the Senat with Antonius Rufinus Terentius and condemned by the law Cornelia against forgerie But Marcellus the memorie of his auncestors and Caesars entreatie acquited rather from punishment than infamie The same day ouerthrew Pompeianus Aelianus a yoong man who had been Quaestor and priuie to Fabianus practise and was banished Italy and Spaine his natiue countrey Valerius Ponticus sustained the like ignominie because that eschuing the iudgement of the Prouost of the citie he had informed against some before the Pretor first vnder colour of som lawes then by preuarication to escape punishment Wherupon a decree of Senate was ordained that he who should either buy or sell any such actions should sustaine the same punishment as he who was publickly condemned for forging of crimes in false accusations Not long after Pedanius Secundus Prouost of the citie was slaine by his bondman either because he had denied him his
libertie which for woney he had couenāted or hating him for the vnnatural lust of a youth as not induring his lord to be his riuall But when all the bondslaues of the house according to the old custom should haue bin condemned for that fact through the flocking thither of people which defended so many innocent persons they grew almost to a mutinie and euen in the Senate it selfe among which there was a faction some contemning that ouergreat seueritie and many on the contrary side holding it necessary that nothing should be changed Among which C. Cassius vttered his opinion as followeth I haue oftentimes been present in this aslemblie Lords of the Senate when new decrees haue beene demaunded contrary to the lawes and ordinances of our auncestors neither haue I euer gainesaide them not that I doubted but that in times past they foresaw and tooke better and more vpright order for all affaires then now and that those things which were altered were changed into the worse but least I should seeme by sticking too much to old customes to extoll the thing I affected with all I thought it not conuenient with often contradiction to ouerthrow this our authoritie whatsoeuer it be to the end it might remaine strong and entire if at any time the common wealth should neede of counsell Which this day hath appeered a Consull being murdered in his owne house by treason of his slaues which none either hindered or bewraied although the decree of Senate be yet in force which in this case threatned punishment to the whole familie Decree in good truth impunitie But whom shall any mans dignitie warrant seeing the Prouostship of the citie auailed not whom shall a multitude of slaues defend seeing foure hundred haue not protected Pedanius Secundus Whom shall any ones familie help if standing in feare of lawes our seruants care not what danger we fall into Shall we say as some are not ashamed to inuent that this murderer reuenged his owne priuat iniurie because he had compounded for his fathers inheritance or that some old slaue had beene taken from him Let vs pronounce sentence without any further adoe that Pedianus seemeth to vs to haue bin iustly slaine Giue me leaue to reason of that point that hath been determined by wiser men If we were now first of all to consider of the matter do you thinke that a slaue had had the hart to murder his Lord if no threatning word had before escaped him if he had vttered nothing rashly forsooth he concealed his intention he prepared a weapon amongst such as knew nothing of it Could he passe the watch open the chamber dores bring in light commit the murder all of his fellowes ignorant of it If slaues would bewraye such attempts they can giue many signes which if they discouer we alone may be safe among many lewde persons in the end if we must needes dye yet not vnreuenged of the wicked The disposition of slaues hath alwayes beene feared by our auncestors yea although they were borne in the same countrey and houses and haue iust occasion presently to loue their lords But seeing we haue nations of them in our families vsing diuers rites and customes strange or no ceremonies of religions at all this rascalitie thou shalt not be able to bridle but by feare But some innocents shall be cast away When an armie is discomfited and euery tenth souldier is culled out and beaten with a cudgell the lot falleth also vpon the valiant Euery exemplarie punishment hath somewhat in it which is vniust which being in particular to the preiudice of some yet is recompensed by the generall good of the whole As no one man durst gainsay Cassius opinion so many confusedly answered together that there should commiseration be taken of the number age sexe and vndoubted innocencie of many Yet that opinion preuailed which cōcluded they should be punished but it could not be executed a multitude being flocked together threatning with stones and fire Then Caesar rebuked the people by an edict beset al the way by which the condemned parties were lead to punishment with a gard of souldiers Cingonius Varro aduised that the freed men which liued vnder the same roofe with their maister slaine should be banished Italie But that was withstoode by the Prince least the auncient custome which clemencie had not diminished should by crueltie be made worse The same men being Consuls Tarquitius Priscus was condemned for extortion at the suite of the Bithynians the Senators greatly reioysing thereat who bare in minde that Statilius Taurus their Proconsull had beene accused by him The people were numbred and valued in Gallia by Q. Volusius and Sext. Africanus and Trebellius Maximus and whilest Volusius and Africanus contended for woorth and nobilitie and both disdaining Trebellius they preferred him before themselues That yeere died Memmius Regulus in authoritie constancie fame as much as might be the imperiall highnes shadowing him greatly renowmed in so much that Nero being sicke and such as were about him flattering him and saying that the Empire was at an end if he should miscary made answere that the common wealth had a support and stay Then they demaunding him in whom especially he added in Memmius Regulus Neuertheles Regulus liued after this shrowded by his quiet life and because he was of new nobilitie and not enuied for his wealth The same yeere a place of all kinde of exercise called Gymnasium was dedicated by Nero and oyle giuen when they wrestled naked to the gentlemen and Senate according to the courtesie of the Greekes XIII Libellers punished of Veiento which sold Neroes fauour P. Marius and L. Asinius being Consuls Antistius the Pretor who as I haue said before behaued himselfe licentiously when he was Tribune of the people made opprobrious verses against the Prince and published them in a solemne banket at Ostorius Scapulaes house Whereupon he was accused of treason by Cossutianus Capito not long before receiued into the number of Senators at the request of his father in law Tigellinus It was thought that then first of all that law was put on foote which wrought not so great an ouerthrow to Antistius as glorie to the Emperour by which the condemned partie by the Senate was deliuered from death by the negatiue voice of the Tribune And albeit Ostorius protested he had heard nothing to beare witnes off credit was giuē to the testimonie of his aduersaries and Iunius Marullus Consull elect gaue his censure that he should be depriued of the Pretorship and put to death according to the auncient custome The rest after that yeelding their assent Paetus Thrasea hauing said somewhat in the commendation of Caesar sharpely rebuked Antistius and declared That it was not expedient that the extremitie of punishment should be vsed vnder a good Prince and when the Senat was by no necessity bound to ordaine it that there was no vse now of an executioner and halter and that there were penalties ordained by lawes and