on foote by which it is prouided of old that for pleading of causes no man should take either money or gift Then they whom that iniurie seemed to touch making a noise Silius was eager and earnest against Suilius and contradicted him alleaging the example of Orators in times past Which esteemed fame with posteritie to be the fairest rewarde of eloquence otherwise that the princesse of good arts should be distained with the seruitude of base lucre and that no faith could be sincere and inuiolate where excesse of gaine is regarded And if causes shoulde be defended without rewarde there would be fewer of them where as now enmities accusations hatred and iniuries are fostered and that as the multitude of diseases brought the Phisitions gaine so the pestilent infection of the bar serueth now to inrich the lawiers Let them call to minde C. Asinius and Messalla and of later memorie Arruntius and Eserninus which were lifted vp to the highest degree of dignitie by their vpright life and vncorrupted eloquence The Consull elect vttering these speeches the others approouing the same they went about to giue iudgement that such shoulde be condemned vnto the like punishment as they were who had by briberie and extortion polled and oppressed the commons When as Suilius and Cossutianus and others which perceiued that there should be no generall decree set downe but a punishment for those which had beene openly conuicted came about Caesar and besought him pardon of that which was past And after a little silence nodding with his head vnto them they began as followeth Who was he so puft vp with pride that would presume or hope for eternitie of fame that it was expedient men should prouide for necessarie maintenance least through the want of aduocates the poore be oppressed by the rich and mightie Neither did eloquence come by chance and gratis vnto any without paine and labor the care of a mans owne familie was neglected if he were occupied in another mans busines many maintained their life by warre some by tilling the earth no man laboured to attaine to any knowledge vnlesse he had seene some commoditie in it It was an easie matter for Asinius and Messalla which were inriched with great rewards betweene Antonies and Augustus wars to shew a gallant and braue minde and for Eserninus and Aruntius heires of rich houses to do the like Examples were as readie for them to shew for what great rewards P. Claudius and C. Curio were woont to plead As for themselues they were but meane Senators which expected no gaine of the common-wealth but such as grew of peace The meanest of the people endeuored what he could to better his estate the rewarde of studies being taken away studies do also decay as hauing neither glory nor honor The Prince thinking that this was not spoken without ground of reason moderated the sum which they should take vnto ten thousand sesterces and that they which passed this summe should be condemned of extorsion III. Mithradates recouereth his kingdome Warres betweene Gotarzes and Bardanes for the kingdome of Parthia ABout the same time Mithradates who as I haue shewed gouerned Armenia and was brought to Caesar returned into his kingdome at Claudius perswasion trusting in the power of Pharasmanes King of the Hiberi and Mithradates brother who told him that the Parthians were at variance among themselues doubtfull what would become of the Kingdome and matters of smaller importance vtterly neglected For whilest Gotarzes practised great cruelties going about to kill his brother Artabanus his wife and his sonne whereby the rest were afeard they called in Bardanes who being a man of action and able to go thorow great enterprises in two daies inuaded three thousand stadia and chased out Gotarzes all amazed and dismayed not once dreaming of his comming and without any lingring seased on the next gouernments the Seleucians onely refusing to obey him Whereupon inflamed with greater anger then the present occasion ministred cause bicause they had reuolted from his father he besieged their citie which was strong and well fortified with a wall inuironed with a riuer and furnished with victuals and munition In the meane time Gotarzes strengthened with the Daharian and Hyrcanian power renueth the war And Bardanes enforced to abandon Leleucia remooued his campe to the champion countrey of the Bracteri Then the forces of the Orient being deuided and vncertaine which way to leane Mithradates had oportunitie offered him by chance to sease vpon Armenia and with the force of the Roman souldier rase and beat downe the strong fortresses the Hiberian campe at once wasting and spoiling the champion Neither did the Armenians make heade at all against them Demonactes their gouernour being slaine who onely durst haue waged battell against them Cotys King of lesser Armenia did somewhat hinder them some of the nobles ioyning with him But afterward being rebuked by Caesars letters all turned vnto Mithradates side more cruell then was expedient in a kingdome newly gotten But the Parthian Emperours making preparation to fight suddenly conclude a peace hauing discouered the treacherie of their subiects which Gotarzes bewraied vnto his brother At the first meeting they had a ielous conceit the one of the other then taking one another by the right hand before the altars of the gods they promised and couenanted to reuenge the treason of their enimies and agree and helpe one another Bardanes seemed most meete to possesse the kingdome And Gotarzes because there should remaine no sparkle of emulation went to Hyrcania And Bardanes returning againe Seleucia yeeldeth the seuenth yeere after her reuolt not without discredit to the Parthians whom one bare citie had so long deluded Then he inuadeth the strongest Prouinces and began to recouer Armenia if Vibius Marsus Lieuetenant of Syria had not hindered him by threatning to warre against him In the meane time Gotarzes repenting that he had yeelded the kingdome and the nobilitie vnto whom obedience in peace seemeth hardest calling him backe againe assembleth his forces togither whom Bardanes met at the riuer Erindes where skirmishing long on both parts for the passages Bardanes had the vpper hand and with prosperous battels subdued all the middle countries vnto the riuer Gindes which diuideth the Dahas from the Arij There his fortunate successes had an end for the Parthians although they were conquerers yet liked not to make warre so far off Wherefore building monuments in token of his wealth and power and that none of the Arsacides had euer before leuied any tribute of those nations he returned with great glorie and therefore so much the more fierce and intollerable to his subiects who hauing long before laide a snare to intrap him killed him at vnawares as he was a hunting in the Prime of his youth fewe of the old Kings to be matched in renowne with him if he had as well sought the loue of his subiects as to be feared of his enimies By the death of Bardanes the Parthian
Vologeses thinking there had fell out iust occasion of inuading Armenia which possessed of his ancestors a forraine King now occupied by a lewde practise assembleth his power and because none of his house should liue without rule and soueraigntie goeth about to inuest his brother Tiridates in the kingdome By the comming of the Parthians the Hiberi were driuen out without stroke striking and the cities of the Armenians Artaxata Tigranocerta submitted themselues to the yoke But the sharpe and hard winter or else scarsitie of victuals other prouision the sicknes proceeding of both cōstrained Vologeses to forsake his pretended enterprise and Rhadamistus inuadeth Armenia a fresh hauing none to resist him more cruell then before as against rebels readie at all times to rebell if occasion were offered In so much that they though accustomed to bondage yet breake all patience and besiege the Kings house Rhadamistus hauing no other refuge then the swiftnes of his horses saued both himselfe and his wife But his wife being great with childe endured the first flight so so for feare of the enimie and loue of her husband afterward by continuall haste and ouer-much iogging and shaking she began to pray her husband that with an honest death she might be deliuered from the reproch of captiuitie He at the first embraced her comforted her encouraged her then admiring her stoutnes then sicke with griefe least leauing her behinde him any should enioy her at last ouercome with loue and being no babe in wicked atrempts draweth his cymetter and hauing giuen her a wound drew her to the banke of Araxis and committed her to the riuer least her bodie should bee carried away and posteth himselfe to Hyberia his fathers kingdome In the meane time the shepheards espied Zenobia for so was Rhadamistus wife called drawing breath and aliue vpon the quiet shore of the riuer and iudging her by the comelines of hir person of some noble race bound vp hir wound applied such medicaments as the countrie affoordeth Then vnderstanding her name chaunce carried her into the citie Artaxata from whence at the charge of the common purse she was conducted to Tiridates who entertained her with such curtesie as beseemed a Kings wife XI A decree against the Mathematicians Cumanus and Felix gouernours of Iudaea be at variance War against the Clītes WHen Faustus Sylla and Saluius Otho were Consuls Furius Scribonianus was banished as searching out by the Chaldeans the time when the Prince should die And Iunia his mother who before exiled was touched with the same crime as bearing impatiently her former fortune Camillus Scribonianus father had heeretofore stirred vp warres in Dalmatia and therefore Caesar thought it a point of clemencie to keepe aliue the progenie of his enimie Neuerthelesse the banished man enioyed not any long life after this but ended his daies either by naturall death or by poison euery man giuing out as he beleeued Ofbanishing the Astrologers out of Italie there was a straight decree of Senat made but tooke no effect After this the Prince cōmended such in an oratiō who knowing their own estate decaied gaue vp their Senators roome of their own accord those put from it which continuing in it ioyned impudencie to their pouertie Among other things the matter was debated in Senat touching the punishmēt of such womē as married with slaues and an order set down that she who without the priuity of his Lord had fallen into that folly should as if she had consented therto become herselfe a bond-slaue and the children borne of them be taken as Libertini And Pallas whom Caesar publickely confessed to haue beene author of this relation was by the aduise of Barea Soranus Consull elect honored with the Pretorian ornaments receiued further a hundred fiftie hundred thousand sesterces and it was added by Scipio Cornelius that thankes should be publickly giuen him that being descended from the Kings of Armenia he would prefer the publike good before his auncient familie and vouchsafe to be accounted one of the Princes officers Claudius affirmed that Pallas was contented with the Pretorian dignitie onely and would continue in his former pouertie Whereupon a decree of Senate was publikely engrauen in brasse in commendation of this freed man who being possessor of three hundred millions of sesterces was content to liue according to the prouident maner of sparing of our ancestors But his brother surnamed Felix of late made gouernour of Iudaea vsed not the same moderation but bare himselfe vpon his authoritie as a sufficient warrant for all lewdnes whatsoeuer The Iewes made shew of a rebellion through a sedition * after they vnderstood of the death of Caius they were still afearde least some other Prince should commaund them the like things In the meane season Felix going about to redresse all by vnseasonable punishments exasperated them the more And Ventidius Cumanus vnto whom part of the Prouince was committed and was his secret enimie egged him forward For the countrey was so diuided that the Galileans were gouerned by Cumanus and the Samaritans by Felix enemies of olde and now more then euer shewing themselues through the contempt of the gouernors And therefore made inroades one against the other set in companies to rob and spoile laide ambushes and sometimes they met in battell and carried the booties and spoiles to their gouernours Who at the first were glad of it but in the end perceiuing the mischiefe to grow greater they sent in souldiers to quiet them which were all slaine And the whole Prouince had been in an vprore if Quadratus the gouernor of Syria had not found meanes of redresse who stayed not long vntill he had reuenged the death of the Roman souldiers which the Iewes had slaine Cumanus Felix drew the matter at length because Claudius hauing vnderstoode the occasions of the rebellion had giuen authoritie to the Gouernor to determine punish the Procurators Cumanus and Felix if their demerit had so required But Quadratus caused Felix to sit among the iudges and receiued him into the tribunall to him to the end the heate of the accusers should therby be cooled and condemned Cumanus for all the misdemeanor which both of them had committed and by that meanes he set the Prouince at quietnes Not long after the peasants of the Cilician nation surnamed Clites which at diuers other times had rebelled hauing Trosobor for their Captaine encamped on a rough and high hill And frō thence running downe to the sea shores cities ventured on the husbandmen and citizens and often set on marchants and sea men And then hauing besieged the citie of the Anemurienses the horsemen sent out of Syria to ayde them were put to flight with Curtius Seuerus their Prefect by reason the difficulties and vncleannes of the place round about fit for footemen was most incommodious for horsmen to fight Then Antiochus King of that quarter vsing faire words to the countrey people craft
into wipe away this blot and conuert this priuate rancor to the destruction of the enemie And you in whom I perceiue another countenance and another will if you purpose to restore the Embassadors to the Senate yeeld dutifull obedience to the Emperour and me my wife and sonne withdraw your selues from the contagion of the seditious and go from them which haue beene the authors of this rebellion that shall be a sure token of your repentance and a bond of fidelitie With these speeches the souldiers humbling themselues confessed all to be true which was vpbraided them and besought him that he would punish the faultie and pardon those which were seduced and bring them against the enemie recall his wife and the legions child and not deliuer him to the Gaules for an hostage Germanicus excused the returne of his wife by the neerenes of her time and winter yet that his sonne should returne againe and as for other things that they themselues should see them performed The souldiers then being better perswaded ran from place to place layd hands on the most disordered persons and brought them bound before C. Cetronius Colonel of the first legion who gaue iudgement and punishment on euery of them in this manner The legions called together stoode with their swords drawne before the Tribunal and the offender shewen by the Tribune out of a high seate and if the souldiers did cry that he was guiltie he was immediately throwne downe headlong and cut in peeces the souldier reioysing in these massacres as though himselfe thereby had bene acquited Germanicus did not hinder them at all seeing that being done without his commaundement as well the fact as the enuie of it should light vpon their owne necks The old souldiers following that president were anon after sent to Raetia vnder colour of defending the prouince from the inuasion of the Sweuians but in deede to draw them from those garrisons yet breathing of crueltie no lesse by that cruel meanes of redresse then memorie of their former outrages This done he tooke a suruey of the Centurions who being called by the Captaine told their names degrees and countrey what payes they had receiued and how many yeares what exploits they had done in seruice and with what donatiues rewarded If the Tribunes and legions approued their valour and integritie they kept their roomes if by common consent couetousnes or crueltie were laid to their charge they were cassirde Things thus setled for the present there arose immediately a matter of no lesser waight then the former through the headie insolencie of the fift and one and twentith legion lodged in winter standings threescore miles off at Vetera For they first led the daunce and with their owne hands committed the lewdest outrages Nothing terrified with their fellowes punishment continued impenitent and still harbored anger in their breasts Whereupon Caesar gathereth forces prepareth a Nauy with confederates and allies to send downe the Rhene purposing if they were obstinate to try it out in a maine battell No tidings being all this while brought to Rome of the successe in Illyricum and vnderstanding of the rising of the Germaine legions the citie trembling with feare began to blame Tiberius that counterfeiting a doubtfulnes of taking on him the Empire mocked the Lords of the Senate the weake vnfurnished common people and suffered the seditious in the meane time to rebell which by the weake authoritie of two yong men could not be suppressed That he should therefore haue gone himselfe in person and opposed his imperiall maiestie against them at whose sight they would presently haue yeelded being by long experience skilfull and carrying with him power to punish or reward If Augustus striken in yeares could make often iourneies into Germanie should Tiberius being of a strong and able bodie sit in the Senate carping the Senators words He had taken good order how to keepe the citie in seruitude and that it was now time to applie some medicine to the souldiers minde to induce them to a disposition of peace Notwithstanding Tiberius standing stiffe in his determination resolued not to forsake the head of the empire and hazard himselfe and the whole state Many things troubled his minde as that the Germane armie was the strongest and the Pannonian neere at hand the one leaning to the strength of the Gaules the other lying in the confines of Italie doubtfull himselfe which first to go to least the other being postposed should take it in disdaine But his sonnes might visit both as a thing standing well with imperiall maiestie bearing greater state farthest off The yoong men might be excused if they referred some things to their father and if they should resist Germanicus and Drusus he should be able to appease or ouerthrowe them But if they should set light by the Emperor what remedie could be then looked for Neuertheles as though he would depart out of hand he made choise of his followers prouided his carriages in a readines prepared shipping then excusing himselfe now with the hardnes of the winter now with this now with that he deceiued first the wise then the vulgar sort and the prouinces a very long time XI The first and the ninth legion kill many of the rebels Germanicus ouer commeth the Marseans beateth dovvne the temple of Tanfana The death of Iulia. BVt Germanicus although he had an armie in a readines to reuenge vpon the rebels thinking it conuenient neuertheles to giue them some respite to see whether they would be reclaimed by the example of the other legions sent letters before to aduertise Cecina that he was comming with a power and that if they would not punish the offenders before his comming he would without any respect make a generall slaughter of them all These letters Cecina secretly imparted to the standard and ensigne bearers and the better sort perswading them to deliuer all in generall from infamie and themselues from death For in time of peace each mans cause and merit was waighed but in warre the guiltie and guiltlesse perished alike They then sounding the mindes of those they thought fittest and finding the greater number of the legionarie soldiers to continue dutifull following the Lieutenants aduice set downe a time when to cut off the lewdest and most seditious among them Then the watch-word giuen they breake into their tents slue them none priuie to the cause but such as were of counsell in the enterprise neither imagining the beginning nor the ende of this butcherie The strangest manner of ciuill warre that euer happened was this for without order of battell not sallying out of diuers standings but out of the same beds in which they had eaten by day and slept by night they banded into factions lanced their dartes outcries were heard wounds giuen blood shed but the cause vnknowen fortune ruled the rest and some honest men were slaine among But it was no sooner knowne against whom this watch was intended but the worst persons snatched their
were deuided among themselues some desiring to be gouerned by the Romans and others by Kings And the prouinces of Syria and Iudaea ouercharged with taxes made supplication that their tributes might be diminished These things therefore with those which I haue rehearsed of Armenia Tiberius sheweth to the Lords of the Senat and that the tumults of the Orient could no way be pacified but by Germanicus wisedome As for himselfe he was striken in age and Drusus was not yet of ripe yeares And thereupon by decree of Senate Germanicus had the charge giuen him ouer all the prouinces deuided by sea and a greater commaunde whither soeuer he went then any which either by lot or Princes sending receiued gouernment Now Tiberius had before remoued from Syria Creticus Silanus who was by marriage allied to Germanicus his daughter being promised in marriage to Nero Germanicus eldest son in his roome had appointed Gn. Piso to be Lieutenant a man both rash and headstrong not knowing what it was to obey as hauing that fiercenes of courage naturally from Piso his father who during the ciuill warres ayded in most eager manner the sides which rose in Affrike against Caesar then following Brutus and Cassius faction and licence graunted him to returne forbare all dignities vntill he was wooed to accept the Consulship offered him by Augustus Caesars owne motion But besides the hereditary courage of his fathers the nobilitie and wealth of Plancina his wife made him grow so insolent that he would scarse yeeld to Tiberius and contemned his children as far inferior to himselfe not doubting at all but that he was chosen gouernor of Syria to bridle and keepe vnder Germanicus hopes And some beleeued that he had had secret commaundement by Tiberius so to do and without all peraduenture Augusta had put it into Plancinaes head emulation being a vsuall matter amongst women to contend and quarrell with Agrippina The court was deuided some secretly fauouring Drusus some Germanicus Tiberius did leane to Drusus as his owne and of his bloud but the small affection Germanicus vncle caried him was cause that others loued him the more and because that by the mothers side he was more nobly descended hauing M. Antonius for his grandfather and Augustus for his vncle whereas Pomponius Atticus a Gentleman of Rome great grandfather to Drusus did not answere the honorable memories of the Claudians And Germanicus wife Agrippina did go beyond Liuia Drusus wife in fruitfulnes fame and name Neuertheles the brothers did exceedingly well agree nothing at all moued with the emulation and contentions of their kindred X. The Germans are at variance betweene themselues an earth-quake in Asia NOt long after Drusus was sent to Illyrium to be trained vp in feates of warre and to win the souldiers harts And Tiberius thought it better that the yong man lustly giuen by the wanton lasciuiousnes of the citie should be better fashioned in the camp and himselfe in more securitie both his sonnes being commaunders ouer the legions But the colour was that the Sweuians did craue aide against the Cherusci for being rid of the Romans and voide of forren feare through emulation of glory a thing vsuall in that countrey they turned their armes against themselues Ods there was none in the strength of the nations or valour of Captaines but that the name of a king which Maroboduus tooke vpon him was odious to the common people and Arminius fauoured because he fought for libertie And therefore not only the Cherusci and their confederates Arminius olde souldiers tooke armes but the Sweuian nations also of Maroboduus kingdome The Semnones and the Longobards tooke part and ioyning with Arminius had preuailed if Inguiomerus with a strong companie of his vassalles had not fled to Maroboduus for no other cause but onely being old and vncle to Arminius disdained to obey him being but yoong and his brothers sonne They pitcht their battell with like hope on both sides not vsing rouing incursions or skirmishing in scattered troupes as the manner of the Germans in times past had beene but by long warring against vs they had accustomed themselues to follow their ensignes strengthen and aide one another and obey their Captaines Then Arminius viewing his armie on horsebacke vaunted to all he met that their libertie was recouered the legions slaine shewed in the hāds of many of the soldiers the spoiles and armour which by force they had taken from the Romans Contrarily he called Maroboduus a runnagate vnskilfull in warres that he had saued himselfe in the lurking holes of Hercynia and then by gifts and embassies entreated an agreement that he was a traitor to his countrey and one of Caesars followers therefore that they should thrust him out with no lesse hatred then they had slaine Varus Quinctilius that they should now call to minde so many battels by successe of which hauing in the ende driuen out the Romans it is easilie seene who should haue the vpper hand Neither did Maroboduus on his side forget to vaunt himselfe or inueigh against his enimie but taking hold of Inguiomerus told them that all the honours of the Cherusci consisted in that body and that all that fell out luckily was atchieued by his counsell That Arminius a sot vnexpert in matter of warre attributed others glorie to himselfe because he had entrapped by guile three vnfurnished legions with their Captaine nothing misdoubting their fraude to the great losse of Germanie his owne ignominie seeing his wife his son do yet endure seruitude But as for him he had maintained the honor of Germanie vnstained being assailed by twelue legions vnder the conduct of Tiberius and in the ende parted with reasonable conditions Neither did it repent him that it was yet in their choise either to make war against the Romans or accept of peace without bloudshed Both parts being incensed with these speeches yet other peculiar causes did more inflame them Considering that the Cherusci and the Longobardi did fight for their auncient honours or fresh libertie and contrarily the others to inlarge their dominions A fiercer encounter then this there was neuer seene nor a more doubtfull issue the right wings on both sides being slaine And a new fight was hoped for if Maroboduus an euident token of a faint hart had not retired to the hils and being somwhat weakned by the back sliding of Traitors withdrew himself to the Marcomans and sent Ambassadors to Tiberius to craue aide Vnto whom it was answered that he had no reason to craue the Romans aide against the Cherusci seeing he aided the Romans nothing at all when they fought against the same enimie Yet as we haue said Drusus was sent to make a peace The same yeere twelue famous cities of Asia were destroied by an earthquake in the night a calamitie so much the greater by how much the lesse looked for The vsuall meanes of sauing themselues in in like cases by fleeing to the open fields doing them no good at all
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
to bewaile and lament alike Neither couldest thou haue discerned the lamentation of kinsfolkes from the stanger nor the women from the men sauing that the fresh griefe of such as went to meete her exceeded the lamentation of her traine alreadie wearied with long continuance of sorrow Caesar had sent two companies of his guarde to meete them and gaue further charge that the magistrates of Calabria the Apuleians Campanians should solemnise the last obsequies in memorie of his sonne The ashes were carried on the Tribunes and Centurions shoulders the ensignes vntrimmed and the fasces or knitch of rods turned downewards went before and when they passed by any colonies the common people in mourning weede and gentlemen in their attire called Trabea according to the wealth of the place burnt garments sweete odors with other accustomed funerall solemnities Yea such whose townes were far off yet met them erected altars offered sacrifices to the infernall gods witnessing their dolour with teares and cries Drusus went to Terracina with his brother Claudius Germanicus children which had remained in the citie The Consuls M. Valerius M Aurelius who began then to enter into office the Senat and a great part of the people filled vp the way scattered hither thither weeping as euery mans affection was Flattery there was none all men knowing that the death of Germanicus ioyfull to Tiberius could badly be dissembled howsoeuer he counterfeited the contrary Tiberius and Augusta abstained from mourning in publicke iudging it a thing vnder their maiestie if they should be seene openly to lament or least the eies of all men obseruing their countenance should espie they did but counterfeit I finde not in any author or diurnall register that his mother Antonia did any thing woorthie memorie in that sole 〈…〉 when as besides Agrippina Drusus and Claudius the rest of his bloud are by name written of either hindered by sicknes or in minde ouercome with sorrow coulde not endure the sight of so heauie a griefe I should easlier haue beleeued that Tiberius and Augusta which kept within doores made hir do the like that their griefe might be iudged equall and that the grandmother and vncle should seeme to haue kept in by the example of the mother The day that the ashes were put in Augustus tombe was sometimes with silence desolate and still and on the sudden vnquiet with weeping all passages of the citie were full Campus Martius shined with burning torches There the soldier with his weapons the magistrates without the markes of their dignitie and calling and the people gathered into tribes and companies cried that the common-wealth was fallen to ground and no hope left and that so openly and boldly that thou wouldest haue beleeued they did not remember by whom they were gouerned Yet nothing went so neere Tiberius hart as the ardent affection men bare Agrippina calling hir the honour of their countrey the onely bloud of Augustus the patterne of antiquitie and turning towards the heauen and the gods praied that hir issue might long continue and ouerliue the wicked Some desired that the funerals might be celebrated with publike pompe comparing the magnificence and honors that Augustus had vsed for Drusus Germanicus father And that he in the hardest time of winter went as farre as Ticinum and how neuer once departing from the bodie accompanied it to the citie That about the coffin were the images of the Claudians and Iulians that he was bewailed in the place of publike assemblies praised with an oration before the people and all honors done him which either our auncestors or later times could inuent But Germanicus had not so much as the vsuall solemnities done for him his body through distance of place was in some sort burnt in strange lands but by so much the more honours shoulde nowe haue beene bestowed vpon him bicause fortune had denied him the first His brothers went to meete him but one daies iourney his vncle not so farre as to the gate Where are the auncient customes become why was not his image put before the Beere and verses sung in memorie of his vertues why was he not praised and bewailed with the vsuall representation of mourning All this was well known to Tiberius and to suppresse the speech of the common people he admonished them by edict That although many notable Romans had died for the common-wealth yet none had euer beene bewailed with such an ardent affection Which was to him and vnto others also honorable so as there were a meane vsed For the selfe same things are not seemly for noble men the Emperor and the common people It was conuenient that small houses or cities shoulde mourne and lament in fresh griefe and after their griefe take comfort againe but now it was time to confirme the minde as Iulius Caesar hauing lost his onely daughter and Augustus his nephewes did cast off all sorrow It was needlesse to alleage auncient examples to shew how oft the people of Rome had suffered constantly the losse of armies death of captaines and the vtter ouerthrow of noble families That princes are mortall and the common-wealth euerlasting Therefore that they should take their solemnities againe and bicause the shew of the Megalensian plaies was at hand returne to their pleasures II. Piso commeth to Rome vvhere he is accused and killeth himselfe THe vacation ended euery man returned to his busines and Drusus went to the armie of Illyricum the people bent to demaund a reuenge of Piso complained that he in the meane time now here now there in the pleasant countrey of Asia and Affrike with a prowd and subtill delay did shift off the proofes brought against his lewdnes For it was commonly rumored that Martina as I haue before said a woman infamous for poisoning was sent to Rome by C. Sentius and being suddenly dead at Brundisium had no token vpon her that she had taken her owne bane and that the poison was found hidden in a knarle of her haire But Piso hauing sent his sonne before him to the citie with lessons how to pacifie the Prince went towards Drusus not hoping to finde him cruell in his behalfe for the death of his brother but rather fauorable as being rid of such a concurrent Tiberius to make a shew of vpright dealing hauing entertained the yong man courteously vsed the like liberalitie towards him as he was accustomed to do to the noble mens children of such as he was familiar with Drusus answered him that if the accusations layd against him were true the greatest griefe should be his and for his owne part he could wish they should be false and vaine and that Germanicus death might be preiudiciall to none These words were openly vttered and not in secret neither was it doubted at all but that Tiberius had before hand taught him his lesson when as being plaine simple and yong yet shewed the cunning of the old man Piso hauing past ouer the Dalmatian sea and left his ships at
Macedon of the number of riuers the temperature of their countrey and what a rich territorie they had round about them But the Smyrnaeans fetching their antiquitie a farre off either that Tantalus from whence they came was descended from Iupiter or from Theseus issued also from the stocke of the gods or else that some one of the Amazons had founded them alleaged farther the seruice they had done to the people of Rome in which they most of all relied and that they had giuen them su cour by sea not only against forreine wars but also the wars of Italie And that they first of all had dedicated a Temple in honor of Rome M Porcius being Consull The people of Rome indeed then flourishing but yet not lifted vp to the height of their greatnes the citie of Carthage yet standing and many strong Kings liuing in Asia They brought in L. Sulla for a witnes whose armie being fallen into great danger through the roughnes of the winter and want of apparell when newes was brought thereof to the Smyrnaeans as they were assembled vpon occasion all which were present sent the apparell from their owne backes vnto our legions Thereupon the Lords of the Senats opinion being demaunded they preferred the Smyrnaeans And Vibius Marsus counselled farther that ouer and aboue his charge M Lepidus vnto whom the gouernment of that Prouince fell should haue a deputie appointed to take care of that Temple And bicause Lepidus through modestie refused to accept it Valerius Naso who had beene Pretor was by lot chosen and sent XIII Why Tiberius absented himselfe from the Citie WHilest these things thus passed Caesar hauing deepely thought vpon and after protracted his determination at last goeth into Campania vnder colour of dedicating a temple to Iupiter Capua and another to Augustus at Nola but indeede resolued to leade his life far from the citie The occasion of his departure although following some authors I haue attributed vnto Seianus wiles yet because that after Seianus death he continued sixe yeares in the like retired life I am often induced to doubt whether the cause be more truly to be referred to himselfe as going about to cloake by the place his crueltie and loose behauior Some were of opinion that being through age slender tall and crooked bald headed and his face spect with plaisters and ointments was therefore ashamed to shew himselfe in publick And at Rhodes he was wont to shun companie liue secretly and hide his lasciuious dissolute life Some gaue out that his mothers insupportable insolēcie droue him away whom as a companiō in state he could not indure nor yet be rid of her bicause the soueraigntie it self was her gift For Augustus was determined to leaue the Empire to Germanicus his sisters nephew who had a good report of all men but being ouercome by his wiues importunate intreatie he adopted Tiberius and Tiberius Germanicus which Augusta did vpbrayd vnto him and demanded the Empire againe which she had bestowed vpon him He departed with a small traine with him one Senator who had bene Consull which was Cocceius Nerua skilfull in the lawes one gentleman of Rome besides Seianus and of noble men only Curtius Atticus The rest were men indued with liberall sciences most of them Grecians with whose conference he purposed to passe the time Some Astrologers gaue out that Tiberius departed Rome vnder such a constellation that he should returne no more which was cause of manies ouerthrow which coniectured and diuulged that he had not long to liue for they could not foresee so incredible a matter as that he should want his countrey willingly eleuen yeeres together Wherein did appeare not long after how neere cosens their arte and falshood are and how truth is disguised and hidden vnder obscuritie For it was not spoken at aventure that he should not returne againe although they were ignorant of other things which should happen vnto him or whether he should quickly die or not which was not signified by those words of theirs because he ended his latter yeeres in some village not farre off or on the sea shore or neere vnto the wals of the citie At that time a doubtfull and dangerous perill which by meere chance Caesar fell into augmented the vaine rumor alreadie sowne and gaue him occasion to put more trust in Seianus friendship and constancie then euer he had done before For as they were eating in a countrey house called Spelunca betwene the sea Amuclanum and the hils of Fundani in a naturall grot or caue certaine stones falling suddenly from the mouth of it slew some of his seruitors which so affrighted the rest that they fled all away But Seianus with his knees his face and hands leaning and hanging ouer Caesar set himselfe against the other stones which were falling and in that plight was found by the souldiers which came to succour them This made him greater then he was and although he should haue giuen most pernitious counsell yet should haue had fauorable audience as one nothing caring for ought which might happen to himselfe He tooke vpon him the office of a iudge against Germanicus issue suborning some to play the parts of accusers and inueigh especially against Nero next in succession although a modest yong man yet oftentimes forgetfull of that which was requisit for the present time pricked forward by his freed men and followers which thought it long till he were Emperour to shew himselfe bold and stout of courage perswading him that that the people of Rome desired the armie couered and that Seianus durst do nothing to the contrarie though now he insulted alike ouer the patience of the old man and sloth and cowardlines of the yong Nero hearing these or the like speeches yet dreamt of no bad practise although some wilfull and vnconsiderate speeches slipt now and then from him which when the spies set ouer him had augmented carried to Caesar and Nero not suffered to purge himselfe droue manie into sundrie doubtes Some shunned to meete him some hauing saluted him turned presently from him many brake off abruptly their talke Seianus fauorers on the other side laughed in their sleeues to see it Tiberius whether the yoong man spake vnto him or held his toong cast a malicious eye or smiled dissemblingly vpon him and whether he spake or helde his toong it was alwaies a crime in him Neither was he secure from treason in the night his wife bewraying his watchings his dreames his sighes to Liuia her mother and she to Seianus who drew Drusus Neroes brother to his side with a hope of the Empire if he could remooue his elder brother which was alreadie downe and out of credit Drusus was of a cruell and fell disposition and besides the desire of rule and hatred which vsually raigneth betwixt brothers he was incensed with enuie to see Agrippina their mother readier bent to do Nero good then himselfe And yet Seianus did not so much tender Drusus but that he
Pharasmanes to further his enduours by pollicie and force and corrupters were found which for great sums of gold entised Arsaces ministers to kil him and through Hiberus great power they entered Armenia and tooke the citie Artaxata When Artabanus vnderstood of these dealings he furnisheth his son Orodes with things necessarie to reuenge and giueth him the strength of the Parthians and dispatcheth others to leuie hired souldiers to giue him aide On the other side Pharasmanes drewe the Albanians and Sarmates to his partie whose Princes called Sceptruchi hauing receiued gifts on both sides according to the manner of their countrey gaue aide to both sides But the Hiberi being masters of the passages thrust suddēly the Sarmatian forces on the Armenians by the Caspian way But those which came from the Parthians were easily driuen backe bicause the enimie had shut vp all the other passages one excepted which was betwixt the sea and the hils of the Albani which could not serue their purpose by reason it was sommer for the Easterne windes fill vp the shallow foordes and the shore the South winter winde keepes backe the flood and leaues the shallow shore bare and naked In the meane space Pharasmanes hauing reenforced his strength challengeth Orodes to fight being destitute of allies and vnfurnished of men and if he refused or shifted off he braued him vnder his nose and hard by his campe wasted his stouer and often compassed him about as if he had besieged him till the Parthians not accustomed to endure such brauados came about their King and demaunded battell Their strength consisted in their horsemen and Pharasmanes in footmen and horsemen both For the Hiberi and Albani inhabiting mountanous places were better accustomed to hardnes and trauell They saie they came out of Thessalia at such time as Iason after he had carried away Medea and begotten children by her returned to the emptie court of AEeta and vnhabited Colchos and reporte manie woonders of his name and the oracle of Phryxus Neither dare any man sacrifice a ram because it is thought that Phryxus was carried on one be it this ram were a beast or a shipe which bare those armes The battell pitched in order on both sides the Parthian put his souldiers in minde of the Empire of the East and the renowned nobilitie of the Arsacides and contrariwise debased Hiberus as ignoble and flying to mercenarie souldiers Pharasmanes on the other side declared that he was neuer yet subiect to the Parthian rule and that the greater their enterprise the greater their glorie if they were the conquerers or if they turned their backes the greater dishonour infamie and danger withall he shewed them his owne host dreadful and the Medians painted with gold on his owne side men on the other bootie Among the Sarmates the Captaine onely was not heard but euerie man incouraged each other not to abide the shot but preuent the enimie rushing in couragiously to handie strokes Diuers manners of fight were then seene in that battell when as the Parthian accustomed with like skill to flie and follow seuered his squadrons to make way for the arrowes to light The Sarmates laying aside their bowes which steeded them but a short time ran in to the enimie with their swordes and lances sometimes were in the front sometimes in their backes as if they had beene horsemen sometimes close ranked with their bodies and weapons thrust backe and bare down the enimie and were borne downe againe The Albani also and Hiberi behaued thēselues in like maner now catching hold of the enimie now thrusting him down the battell growing doubtfull on their side the horsemen and footemen pressing in and giuing them many wounds Whilest this fight thus continued Pharasmanes and Orodes each incouraging his stoutest or comforting those which beganne to stagger and wauer being in sight the one of the other and therefore knowing the one the other with a great clamor armour and horses ranne one against another but more fiercly Pharasmanes for he wounded his enimie through the headpeece yet being carried away with his horse was not able to redouble his stroke the stowtest of his followers presently defending the wounded Neuerthelesse a rumor falsly beleeued that he was slaine appaled the Parthians caused them to yeeld the victorie IX Sinnaces rebelleth against Artabanus King of Parthia Tiridates is put in his place IMmediatly after Artabanus gathering together his whole strength out of all parts of his countrey pursueth a reuenge on the Hiberi saying that they had the better of the battell through skilfulnes of place and therefore would neuer desist if Vitellius by assembling the legions had not giuen out that he meant to inuade Mesopotamia thereby striking him into a feare of the Roman forces Then Artabanus leauing Armenia left all good fortune behinde him Vitellius entising his subiects to abandon their King as one in peace cruell and in warres vnfortunate Sinnaces whom as I haue said was vtter enemie to Artabanus had secret conference with Abdageses his father and others and by continuall ouerthrowes and losses which they suffered drew easily vnto him such as were most readie to reuolt they also repairing to him by little and by little which were subiect vnto Artabanus rather for feare then good will very glad they had found captaines to follow tooke courage vnto them By this time Artabanus had no refuge left saue only a few strangers for the gard of his person banished from their owne dwellings a people not vnderstanding what is good nor hauing a care of that which is naught but hired for gaine are instruments of what mischiese soeuer Accompanied with these he hastneth his flight to the frontiers of his countrey ioining vpon Scythia hoping for succour because he was allied to the Hircanians and Carmanians hauing a hope likewise that the Parthians alwaies indifferently bent to the absent and vnconstant and fickle to the present would in the meane space change their minde and receiue him againe But Vitellius seeing Artabanus fled and the minds of the countrey people enclined to a new King incouraging Tiridates to take that which was offered conducted the legions and allies to the banks of Euphrates And as they were sacrificing and offering according vnto the custome of the Romans Suouetaurilia a Boare Ramme and Bull the others made readie a Horse to pacifie the god of that riuer the inhabitants of Euphrates brought word that without any great raine of his owne accord the riuer was exceedingly risen and withall that the white froth made circles as it were in forme of a diademe which was a presage of a prosperous passage but some did interpret them more subtilly gathering thereby that the beginnings of their attempts should be luckie but haue small continuance because that there was more credit to be giuen to those things which were portended by the earth and heauen and that the qualitie and nature of riuers was vnconstant and running away and would no sooner shew a token
affaires were in a hurly burly whilest they wauered whom they should receiue for their King Many inclined to Gotarzes sonne to Meherdates sonne to Phrahates who was giuen vs in hostage In the ende Gotarzes preuailed who inioying the Kings seate through crueltie and dissolute life forced the Parthians to send secretly to intreat the Roman Prince to release Meherdates and inuest him in his fathers kingdome IIII. Messalina falleth in loue with Silius THe same men being Consuls the plaies called Seculares were exhibited eight hundred yeeres after the foundation of Rome and threescore and foure yeeres after those which Augustus had caused then to be represented I omit the reasons which moued both these Princes as sufficiently declared in my bookes which I haue composed of the acts of Domitian the Emperour for he likewise did set forth the same plaies which I was present at so much the more carefully because I was then one of the fifteene Priests and Pretor Which I speake not to vaunt or brag thereof but because that charge in times past was committed to the colledge of the fifteene and magistrates did chiefly execute the office of ceremonies Claudius sitting to see the race when the noble mens children represented on horseback the play of Troy and among them Britannicus the Emperours sonne and L. Domitius anon after adopted to the Empire and surnamed Nero. The fauour of the people was more affectionat to him then Germanicus which was taken as a prefage of his future greatnes And it was rumored abroad that in his infancie dragons were found about him in manner of a gard which are fables not vnlike vnto strange miracles for he himselfe who neuer derogated from himselfe was wont to report but of one serpent which was seene in his chamber But that affection of the people was a relick of the memorie of Germanicus who left no other male behinde him but he and the commiseration towards Agrippina his mother was increased by reason of Messallinaes crueltie who alwaies hating her and now more then euer kindled against her was hindered no way from forging of crimes and suborning accusers against her sauing only by a new loue and next cosen vnto madnes For she did so burne in loue with C. Silius the fairest youth of all Rome that to content her lust she caused him to put from him his wife Iunia Syllana an honorable dame to enioy wholy to her selfe the adulterer now vntied from the bands of matrimonie Neither was Silius ignorant how lewd the practice was and what perill he might incurre but if he refused certaine of his destruction and hauing some hope to bleare the eyes of the world and enticed with great rewards he tooke it for the most expedient to expect what might fall and inioy the present She not by stealth but with a great retinue frequented his house was alwayes at his side bestowed wealth and honor bountifully vpon him and at last as though fortune had transferred the Empire slaues freed men and all princely ornamēts and preparations were seene at the adulterers house But Claudius not knowing what rule was at home vsurped the office of a Censor reprehended with seuere edicts the ouergreat licence the people vsed in the Theater vsing opprobrious speeches against P. Pomponius who had bin sometime Consull and gaue verses to the stage and other noble women He made a law to restraine the crueltie of creditors forbidding them to lend money to interest vnto mens sonnes subiect to the fathers power to be payed after their death He brought water to the citie from the Simbruan hils He added and published new letters and characters being a thing most certaine that the manner of the Greekes writing was not begun and perfected at once The Aegyptians first of all expressed the conceptions of their mind by the shape of beasts and the most auncient monuments of mans memory are seene grauen in stones they say that they are the first inuēters of letters Then the Phoenicians because they were strong by sea brought them into Greece and had the glory of inuenting that which they receiued of others For there goeth a report that Cadmus sailing thither in a Phoenicean ship was the inuentor of that arte among the Greekes when they were yet vnexpert and rude Some record that Cecrops the Athenian or Linus the Theban and Palamedes the Grecian at the time of the Troian warre inuented 16. characters then others and especially Simonides found out the rest But in Italie the Etrurians learned them of Corinthius Damaratus and the Aborigenes of Euander the Arcadian and the fashion of the latine letters are like vnto the old greeke letters but we had but a few at the beginning the rest were after added By which example Claudius added three letters which during the time of his raigne were in vse and afterward forgotten and are yet to be seene ingrauen in brasen tables hanged vp in temples and places of assembly to shew the peoples lawes Then he propounded in Senate touching the colledge of southsayers least that the most auncient discipline of Italie should come to naught by slothfulnes seeing that in the hard and aduerse times of the common wealth they haue been sent for and by their aduise the ceremonies haue been renewed and better afterward looked into And the chiefest noble men of Etruria either of their owne motion or at the perswasion of the Lords of the Senate haue continued their science and propagated it to their families which now is very carelesly accomplished by a sloth vsed towards commendable artes and because strange superstitions preuaile and take deeper roote All well for the present thanks were to be rendered to the goodnes of the gods therefore and heed taken that sacred rites in doubtfull times had in reuerence be not in prosperous forgotten Whereupon a decree of Senate was made and order taken that the high Priests should consider what was meete to be retained and established concerning the southsayers V. The Cherusci craue Italus for their King THe same yeere the Cherusci came to Rome to demaunde a King all their nobilitie being extinguished by ciuill warres and one onely left of the blood royall called Italus then being at Rome He was sonne vnto Flauius Arminius brother his mother was the daughter of Catumerus Prince of the Catti and was of a comely personage practised in armes and riding as well according to the maner of our countrey as his owne Caesar therefore hauing furnished him with money and appointed him a guarde encourageth him stoutely to take vpon him the honour of his house and auncestors putting him first in minde that he was borne at Rome where he remained not as an hostage but citizen and that now he was to goe to a strange Empire At the first the Germans were glad of his comming and so much the rather bicause he was not nusled in factions and discords and therefore would beare like affection vnto all He was reuerenced and honoured of all
with hope of this presage of good fortune he returneth to the citie and by the bountie of his friends and his owne wit and industrie obtaineth the Quaestorship and anon after the Praetorship among many men of note which sued for the same only by the suffrage and fauor of the Prince Tiberius hiding the basenes of his birth with these words Curtius Rufus seemeth to me to be borne of himselfe After this liuing vntill he was very aged â—n odious flatterer to his superiors arrogant to his inferiors crabbed among his equals he became Consull obtained the honor of triumph and in the end the gouernment of Affrike and there dying fulfilled his fatall destinie In the meane space for no cause then openly knowne nor afterward discouered Gn. Nouius a worthy gentleman of Rome was found with his sword by his side in the assemblie of those which came to salute the Prince for being broken on the torture he confessed nothing either of himselfe or others not knowen whether he purposed obstinately to conceale the matter or whether he were innocent The same men being Consuls P. Dolabella propounded in Senate that the shew of Fencers might be euery yeere set foorth at the charges of those which obtained the Questorship Which was a charge in our ancestors times giuen as a reward of vertue and was then lawfull for all citizens which trusted to their merites and vertues to sue for all kinde of offices without any regard had of their age being a thing lawfull for yong men to be Consuls or Dictators But the Quaestors were instituted when the Kings bare the sway as the law of the Curies declare renewed by L. Brutus and the power of choosing them continued in the Consuls vntill the people would also haue a share therein who first created Valerius Potus and Aemilius Mamercus threescore and three yeeres after the Tarquines were driuen out to the end they should follow the warres Then affaires multiplying more and more two were added for the busines of the citie Not long after the number was doubled when Italie and the prouinces were subiect to pay taske and tallage After that by Syllaes law twentie were created to furnish the Senate vnto whom he had giuen authoritie of iudgement And although the gentlemen of Rome had recouered their power of iudgement notwithstanding the Quaestorship was graunted according to the worth of the suters or courtesie of the giuers and that gratis vntill that by Dolabellaes aduise it was as it were put to sale VIII Certaine gentlemen of Gallia made Senators How the Senate was purged of naughtie men A. Vitellius and L. Vipsanius being Consuls when the matter was debated concerning the furnishing of the number of Senators and that the chiefe gentlemen of Gallia called Comata who long before were in league with the Romans and inioyed the priuileges of a citizen desired also the right of bearing offices in the citie great rumors were spread and the matter was debated before the Prince by men diuersly affected some affirming That Italie was not fallen to so low an ebbe that it could not furnish their citie of a Senate that the home-borne with their kinsemen did in times past supplie that want and no cause why they should be sory to imitate the custome of the auncient common wealth Yea there might examples be alleaged by which it might appeare that the vertuous inclination of the Romans at this day was not inferior to the vertue and glory of their ancestors Is it a small matter that the Venetians and Iusubrians haue thrust into the Curia vnlesse a companie of strangers be also put in as it were to keepe vs in captiuitie what other dignitie is there left for the residue of the nobles or if any of the Latian Senators fall to decay that those rich men would fill and possesse all whose grandfathers and great grandfathers being captaines of enemie nations haue slaine with the sword and violence our armies and besieged Iulius of famous memorie at Alesia These things are fresh in memorie What if we should call those to memorie which besieged the Capitoll and broke downe the altar of Rome with their owne hands That it was sufficient to inioy the name of a citizen and that the ornaments and marks of the Lords of the Senate the dignitie of Magistrates ought not to be made common But with these and the like speeches the Prince was nothing moued but immediatly spake against it and calling the Senate together began as followeth My auncestors among which the most auncient was Clausus taking his beginning of the Sabins and was at once made citizen of Rome and receiued into the familie of the Patricians gaue me counsell to gouerne the common wealth with such counsels and cares as they had done and transfer into it all that is good and commendable from whence soeuer it be brought Neither am I ignoraÌ„t that the Iulij came from Alba the Coruncani from Camerium the Porcians from Tusculum and that we may not search out farther antiquities there hath been men called into the Senate from Etruria Lucania and all Italie At last the citie was extended euen to the Alpes in so much that not only men seuerally but countries and nations vnited theÌ„selues to our name and grew as one whole bodie Then had we a sure and firme peace at home and flourished against forraine nations when the Transpadani receiued the freedome of the citie when vnder colour of leading our legions throughout the world and adding vnto them the strongest forces of the prouinces we eased the weake and wearied Empire Doth it repent vs that the Balbians came out of Spaine the worthiest men of Gallia Narbonensis to vs Their posteritie remaine with vs neither do they giue place vnto vs in loue towards this our countrie What other thing was the destruction and ouerthrow of the Lacedaemonians and Athenians although they were strong and puissant in armes but that they reiected those they conquered as strangers But our founder Romulus caried himselfe so discreetly that he had many which the same day were his enemies and citizens Strangers haue ruled ouer vs offices haue been giuen to the sonnes of such as haue bin freed froÌ„ bondage and not as some haue bin deceiued as a newe precident but it hath bin practised by our first people But we haue fought with the Senonians I pray you haue the Volci Aequi neuer prepared an army against vs we haue beene taken of the Galli and we haue giuen hostages likewise to the Tusci and passed vnder the yoke of the Samnites If thou wilt reckon vp all the warres none hath beene sooner ended than that against the Galli since that time we haue had a continuall and faithfull peace Now that in conformitie of manners artes and alliances they are mingled with our people let them rather bring to vs their gold and wealth then inioy it by themselues All things Lords of the Senate which are thought now to be
most auncient haue beene new The Patricians had first all offices in their hands after them the people after the people the Latines after the Latines all the nations of Italie This will grow olde likewise although it seeme newe and that which to day we maintaine by example shall be reckoned amongst examples A decree of the Senate giuen according vnto the Princes oration the Eduans first of all receiued the rights and priuileges of Senators in the citie This was graunted them in consideration of their auncient alliance and because they onely among the Galli called themselues brothers of the people of Rome The same time Caesar made the auncientest of the Senators patriciens or such whose fathers were famous fewe of those families remaining which Romulus called of the greater and L. Brutus of the lesser familie those also being decayed extinguished which Caesar the Dictator substituted by the lawe Cassia and Prince Augustus by the lawe Senia All these things were gratefull vnto the people and done with the good liking of Caesar It troubled him very much howe he might remooue such from the Senate as were notoriously infamous and at last bethought himselfe of a newe and gentle course yet grounded on the rigour of auncient time which was to admonish euerie man to examine his owne conscience and craue licence to giue vp his roome if he thought himselfe touched which should easily be graunted and promised them to propound togither as well those as were remoued as those as resigned their roomes that the iudgement of the Censors and the moderation of those which willingly renounced interlaced togither might couer the discredit For this cause the Consull Vipsanius propounded that Claudius might be called the father of the Senate because that the title of father of the countrey being common newe merites towards the common-wealth should not be honoured with old titles But he himselfe brideled the Consull as ouer-much flattering and appointed a view to be taken of the citie which is called Lustrum and the number of the citizens to be inrolled which came to threescore eight hundred foure fortie thousand Then began he to haue better intelligence how matters went at home and not long after he was constrained to know and punish the dissolute and licentious life of his wife immediately after to burne in an vnlawfull desire of incestious matrimonie IX Messallinaes looseloues her marriage with Silius NOw Messallina through the easie inioying of her adulterers as it were loathing them grew more licentious in vnknowen and strange sensualitie when as Silius himselfe either by a fatale sottishnes or thinking dangers themselues to be the remedie against imminent dangers began earnestly to vrge her to breake off all dissimulation and make that knowen which vntill then he went about to keepe secret For the matter was not come to that that they should expect the princes death Harmelesse counsels were good for the innocent but in open and manifest villanies there was no hope of safetie but in audacious attempts There were others in the same fault feared the like punishmēt he was a single man without children readie to marrie her and adopt Britannicus Messallinaes authoritie would continue the same and with greater securitie if they could preuent Claudius as vncircumspect against snares and wiles so hastie soone mooued to anger These speeches she seemed not much to like of not for the loue of her husband but least Silius hauing gotten the soueraigntie would reiect her as an adulteresse and fall to a iust consideration of her lewd life which with his danger he had tried Neuerthelesse she desired the name of matrimonie because of the greatnes of the infamie which with prodigall and dissolute persons is the last contentment They expected no longer then Claudius went to Hostia to do sacrifice but she accomplished all the solemnities of marriage I am not ignorant but it will sound like a fable that there should be any man so blockish and carelesse much lesse that a Consull elect should in a citie where all thing is knowen and nothing kept secret a day appointed companie assembled to seale the agreement contract marriage as it were for issue and children with the Princes wife and that shee should heare the words of the Auspices or hand-fasters attire herselfe bride-like sacrifice vnto the gods sit downe amongst the guests kisse embrace and in the ende passe the night in all libertie of marriage But there is nothing fained to make the thing seeme miraculous but I will deliuer you that which hath been heard and written by auncient writers Then the Princes house began to quake for feare and especially those which were in highest credit and fauour and if there should fall an alteration more afeard they began now not in secret whisperings but openly to murmur saying That as long as the adulterers did vse the matter secretly true it was that the Prince was dishonored but yet he was in no danger of his estate where as now this yong man of a noble birth of a manly representation in the prime of his youth and shortly to be Consull aspired no doubt to greater hope For it was easilie knowen what was to be expected after such a marriage Doubtlesse a feare possessed them to thinke how blockish Claudius was how thrall vnto his wife and how many murders had beene committed by Messallinaes commaundement On the other side the facilitie of the Princes nature emboldned them and gaue them hope that if they could beate into his head the enormitie of the fact she might as one alreadie condemned be brought to confusion before she were arraigned But the danger was that if she should be admitted to her defence yet the Princes eares would be buttened and deafe although she should confesse And first of all Calistus of whom I haue spoken in the death of C. Caesar and Narcissus the contriuer of Appius death and Pallas the greatest fauor it at that time debated whether dissembling all other matters by secret threates they should disswade Messallina from Silius loue but they altered their mindes least they should draw on their owne ruine Pallas for want of courage Calistus as practised in the estate of the former court and knowing that credit and authoritie was safelier maintained with circumspect then rash counsell Narcissus persisted in his purpose altering that only point which was to take heede least by any word she should haue an inkling who was her accuser and of what X. Narcissus Claudius freed man aduertiseth him of the marriage The sottishnes of the Emperour NArcissus then earnestly watching all opportunities during Caesars long stay at Hostia induced two concubines with whom the Emperour licentiously conuersed by faire promises and gifts and especially shewing them to what greatnes and credit they might come vnto if his wife were put from him to vndertake the discouering of this crime Then Calphurnia for so one of them was called as soone as she found him alone falling at
Iulius Aquila gentleman of Rome contemnig both of them began to sollicite the countries about him and allure fugitiues and at last hauing assembled an armie chaseth out the King of the Dandarides and inioyeth his kingdome Which being vnderstoode and looking euerie hower that he would inuade the Bosphoran Aquila and Cotys distrustring their owne forces because Zorsines King of the Soraci had taken armes againe sought for forreine aide and sent Ambassadors to Eunones King of the Adorsian nation being no hard matter to draw him to their fellowship after he had declared what oddes there was between the Roman forces and the rebell Mithradates Whereupon they agreed that Eunones should haue charge of the horsemen and the Romains besiege townes Then hauing mustered their armie in order they marche in battell aray the Adorsi defending the front and the rereward the cohorts and Bosphorani the middle battell armed after our fashion And so driuing backe the enimie we came to Soza the chiefe towne of Dandarica which Mithradates forsooke where we left a garrison as being doubtfull of the inhabitants fidelitie From thence they marched to the Soraci and hauing passed the riuer Panda they besieged the citie Vspe situated on a high place fortified with wals and ditches sauing that the wals not being made of stone but of hurdles ioyned togither earth in the middle were too weake against the besiegers who hauing erected towres higher than the wals with fire and dartes disordered they besieged and had not the night broken off the battell the towne had beene assaulted and taken the same day The next day they sent Ambassadors to intreat for the free men but of slaues they offered ten thousand which the Conquerours refused And because that to slaie such as yeelded would be a cruell part and to keepe so great a multitude hard they thought it best to hold on the siege and kill them by right of warre and thereupon the signe was giuen to such souldiers as had scaled the wals to put them to the sword V. Mithradates being forsaken by Zorsines King of the Soraci ye eldeth to Eunones King of the Adorsi and came to Rome after he had made a peace THe slaughter of the Vspensiens stroke the rest into a feare thinking now that there was no safetie in any thing seeing their armes their fortresses high and hard places riuers and townes were forced alike Zorsines then long waighing with himselfe whether he should succour Mithradates desperate case or prouide for his fathers kingdome at length the loue of his countrey swaying him hauing giuen pledges he prostrated himselfe before the image of Caesar to the great glorie of the Roman armie which without any losse of bloodshed on his side came as it is most manifest victorious within three daies iourney of the riuer Tanais But in returning fortune was not alike bicause some of the shippes carried on the Taurian shores were by the Barbarians surprised the prefect of the cohorts and most of the Centurions slaine In the meane time Mithradates finding no safetie in armes debateth with himselfe whose mercie he should trie He feared his brother Cotys because he betrayed him once and was now his enimie There was none of the Romans of such authoritie that their promises should greatly be regarded in fine he addresseth himselfe to Eunones his enimie for priuate grudge but great and of better credit through the friendship newely contracted with vs. Therefore composing his countenance and attiring himselfe sutable to his present estate goeth to the Kings pallace and casting himselfe at his knees saith Behold here Mithradates whom by sea and by land you haue so manie yeeres sought Behold I am here of my owne voluntarie will Vse as thou wilt the sonne of great Achemenes which is the onely thing which the enimies haue not taken from me But Eunones moued with the nobilitie of the man the change of his fortune at his prayer which argued no base minde lifteth vp the suppliant and commendeth him that he had chosen the Adorsian nation and his right hand for obtayning of pardon And withall sendeth Ambassadors and letters to Caesar with these contents That the first friendship betwixt the Emperours and Kings of other mightie nations proceeded of conformitie and likenes of fortune but Claudius amitie and his of a victorie common to them both That the end of warre were most notable when peace was made with pardoning So when Zorsinus was conquered nothing was taken from him for Mithradates although he had deserued woorse no power no kingdome was intreated for but onely that he might not be lead in triumphe and lose his life Neuerthelesse Claudius although he were milde and gentle towards forreine nobilitie yet doubted whether it were best for him to receiue the captiue vnder condition of life or demaund him by force of armes For on one side the griefe of iniuries receiued and desire of reuenge pricked him and on the other reasons to the contrarie That he should take a warre in hand in a hard conntrey and a hauenlesse sea withall that the Kings were fierce and the people scattered and the soile fruitlesse and needy of victuals then that lingering would bring tediousnes and haste danger the praise should be small to the conquerers the infamie great if they tooke the repulse therfore it were best to take the offer and keepe the exiled who being poore how much the longer he liued so much the more punishment he should indure Mooued with these reasons he wrote to Eunones In verie truth that Mithradates deserued examplarie punishment neither wanted he power to execute it neuerthelesse it hath seemed best vnto our predecessors to vse as great benignitie towards humble suppliants as hard and rigorous dealing towards the enimie for triumphes were gotten of whole nations and kingdomes Then Mithradates was deliuered and carried to Rome by Iunius Celo Procurator of Pontus and thought to haue spoken more boldly to Caesar then his estate required His speech was carried to the people in these termes I am not sent backe vnto thee but am come and if thou beleeue me not let me goe and trie There appeered no signe of feare in his countenance when as garded with keepers neere vnto the court he was shewen vnto the people The Consularie ornaments were giuen to Colo and the Pretorian to Aquila VI. The death of Lollia Paulina through Agrippinaes iealousie Calpurnia driuen out of Italie VNder the same Consuls Agrippina boiling with deadly hatred and malice against Lollia because she had contended with her for the marrying of the Prince left no meanes vnsought vntill she had stirred vp some to accuse her of conference had with the Chaldeans and Magicians and counsell asked of the idoll of Apollo Clarius concerning the Emperours marriage Hereupon Claudius the defendant vnhard hauing spoken much before the Senate of her noblenes of birth that she was L. Volusius sisters daughter that Cotta Messallinus was her great vncle and she once wife
legion and all the ayd he could leuie in the prouince on the banke of Danubium as an ayd to the conquered and a terror to the conquerer least puffed vp with prosperous fortune they would so disturb our peace For an infinite power of the Ligians and other nations were comming drawen with the fame of the wealth of Vannius kingdome which for thirtie yeeres space he had enriched with pillages and tributes Vannius owne forces consisted in footemen his horsemen were of Sarmates called Iazygiens vnable to encounter the multitude of the enemies power and therefore defended himselfe in fortresses and purposed to protract the warre But the Iazygiens not able to indure to be besieged but wandering and wasting the champion adioyning droue Vannius to a necessitie of fighting because Ligius and Hermundurus were pressing in on the backs of them Vannius therfore issuing out of his fort lost the battell but not without honor euen in his distresse because in person he shunned not the battell and face to face receiued wounds in his bodie and at last fled to his shipping which waited for him in Danubium by and by his vassals following him hauing receiued land to dwell in planted themselues in a part of Hungaria The kingdome Vangio and Sido parted betweene them shewing great loyaltie towards vs. Their subiects either for their desert or such being the disposition of those which are kept vnder whilest they were yet a getting the kingdome shewed them all tokens of loue and affection but after they had gotten it as the greater their loue before so the greater their hatred after VIII Ostorius gouernor of great Britannia gaineth a battell against the Iceni and tooke Caractacus King of the same countrey and sent him to Rome The warres of the Romaines against the Siluri POstorius Propretor of Britannia at his landing found all in an vprore the enemie ranging the allies countrey and vsing so much the greater violence bicause he thought the new captaine as vnacquainted with his armie and the winter also begun would not come foorth to encounter him But he knowing well that the first successe breedeth either feare or confidence gathered with speede his readiest cohorts made toward the enemie slaying those which made head against him pursued the residue stragled abroad for feare least they should ioyne againe and least a faithles and cloaked peace should neither giue the captaine nor the souldier any rest he disarmed those he suspected and hemmed them in with garrisons betweene Antona and Sabrina Which the Iceni first of all refused a strong people and vnshaken with warres because that of their owne motion they had sought our alliance and amitie and at their instigation the people adioyning chose a place to fight compassed in with a rude and common trench and narrow entrance to hinder the comming in of horsemen That fence the Roman Captaine although he wanted the strength of the legions went about to force with the aide of the allies alone and hauing placed his cohorts in rankes setteth the troupes of horsemen in alike readines to their busines then giuing the signe of battell brake the rampire and disordered the enimies in their owne fortresses Who stroken in conscience with a remorse for their rebellion and seeing all passages of escaping stopped vp shewed great courage and valoure in defending themselues In which fight M. Ostorius the Lieutenants sonne deserued the honour of sauing a citizen But by the slaughter of the Iceni those which wauered betweene warre and peace were quieted and the armie lead against the Cangi Whose countrey they wasted and spoiled the enimie not daring to shew himselfe in fielde or if priuily and by stealth they attempted to cut off any which dragged behind they payed for their comming Now the Roman armie was come neere vnto the sea coast which lookes towards Ireland when as certaine tumults sproong vp among the Brigantes brought backe the Captaine certainly resolued not to attempt any new matter vntill he had setled the old But as for the Brigantes some fewe put to death which first began to take armes the residue being pardoned all were quieted The Siluri could neither by crueltie nor faire meanes be hindered from making warre and therefore no remedie left to keepe them vnder but with a garrison of legionarie soldiers The which to performe more easily a colonie called Camalodunum of a strong companie of old souldiers was brought into the subdued countrey as an aide and safegard against the rebels and inducement to the confederates to the obseruation of lawes From thence they marched against the Siluri besides their owne courage trusting to Caractacus strength who hauing waded thorow manie dangers and in manie aduentures prosperous and luckie had gotten such reputation that he was preferred before all the British Captaines But in craft and skilfulnes of the countrey hauing the aduantage on vs but weaker in strength remoueth the war to the Ordouices and there all those ioyning to him which feared our peace resolued to hazard the last chaunce chusing a place for the battell where the comming in and going out was verie incommodious to vs and to his great aduantage Then they got to the top of a hill and if there were any easie passage vnto them they stopped it vp with heapes of stones as it were in maner of a rampire Not farre off ranne a riuer with an vncertaine foord where a great troupe of his best soldiers were readie in order before the rampire Besides this the leaders went about exhorted and incouraged the souldiers taking all occasion of feare from them and putting them in hope with all other inducements of warre And Caractacus coursing hither thither protested That that day and that battell should be either the beginning of the recouering of their libertie or perpetuall seruitude He called vpon the names of his auncestors which chased Caesar the Dictator out of the Ile by whose valour they were deliuered from hatchets and tributes and inioyed freely their wiues and childrens bodies vndefiled Whilest he vttered these or the like speeches the people made a noise about him and euerie man swore according to the religion of his countrey that he would yeeld neither for wounds nor armes That courage and cheerefulnes greatly astonied the Roman Captaine and considering the riuer before his face the forte they had cast vp the high hils which hanged ouer them all things deadly to thē and commodious for the enimie droue him into a doubt of the successe Neuerthelesse the souldier demaunded battell crying that there was nothing which valour could not ouercome The Prefects and Tribunes vsing the like speeches greatly incensed the ardour and courage of the rest The Ostorius hauing viewed what places were of hard passage and which of easie leadeth his armie boiling with choler with small difficultie ouer the riuer But when we were come to the rampire as long as we fought with throwing of dartes we receiued most
himselfe in Germanie Being a countrey of it selfe rude and the aire vnpleasant and rough to looke on ilfauoured not mannured nor husbanded They giue it out as a high point in old verses which is the onely way they maintaine the memorie of things as their Annales that the god Tuisto sonne of the earth and his sonne Mannus were their first founders and beginners To Mannus they assigne three sonnes whose names the Ingaeuones tooke a nation neere the Ocean the Istaeuones and Herminones lying betweene them both But some through a licence which antiquitie doth giue affirme that the King had moe sonnes from which moe nations tooke their names as the Marsi Gambriui Sueui Vandali all true and auncient names As for the name Germanie it is a new name lately coyned for those which first past the riuer of Rhene droue out the Gallois were now called Tungri now Germani so the name of one people not of the whole nation growing great by little and little as they were all at the first called for feare as best liked the Conquerour so at last Germans being a name of their owne inuention And they record that Hercules came amongst them of all that euer was the valiantest person They goe singing to the warres And haue certaine verses by singing of which calling it Barditus they incourage their people and by the same song foretell the fortune of the future battell for they both strike a feare into others and are themselues striken with feare according to the measure and tune of the battell seeming rather an harmonie of valour than voices and do affect principally a certaine roughnes of the voice and a broken confuse murmur by putting their targets before their mouthes to the end their voice by the reuerberation might sound bigger and fuller Yea some are of opinion that Vlisses in his long and fabulous wandring being brought to this Ocean came into Germanie and built the towne Asciburgium vpon the banke of Rhene and inhabited at this day which he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that an altar consecrated to Vlisses hath been found in the same place with his fathers name Laërtes and that there are yet monuments extant and certaine tumbes inscribed with Greeke letters in the confines of Germanie and Rhaetia which I intend not to confirme by reasons or confute and therefore I leaue it to euerie mans iudgement to beleeue or not For mine owne part I hold with them which thinke that the people of Germanie not changed and altered by marrying with other nations haue continued the true and pure nation like vnto none but themselues And therefore you see they haue all one feature and making though they be infinite in number firie and gray eies yellow haire great bodies and strong at a push onely Trauell and paine they cannot endure nor yet thirst nor heate but to hunger and cold the aire and the countrey hath inured them The soile although differing somewhat in kind yet generally is wilde with woods or vnpleasant and ilfauoured with marishes moister towards Gallia more windie towards Noricum and Pannony batfull enough but bad for fruit-bearing-trees cattle plentie but for the most part harletry runts their kine and labouring beast hath no beautie in him all their ioye is in plentie of them and therein consisteth their wealth the wealth they chiefly desire Siluer gold whether the angry or fauourablegods haue denied them I doubt Neither wil I affirme that there is no vaine in Germany which yeeldeth siluer gold for who hath sought it the possession of these metals or vse they do not greatly affect Yet vessels of plate you may see among them presented to their Embassadors Princes but as smally accompted of as if they were of earth although the borderers for commoditie of trafficke like gold and siluer well and do acknowledge and choose some coine bearing our images Those which dwell further in the land go more simplie to worke and according to the old manner haue no buying and selling but by exchange of commodities The older the money and longest knowne the better liked as that which is toothed about like a sawe or hath the picture of a chariot drawen with two horses They desire rather siluer then gold not for any liking vnto it but because that being in smaller money it is easlier put away in buying and selling of small wares Yron they haue little among them as by their weapons it may be gathered Few of them vse swords or great lances but carrie Iauelins or as they terme them Frameas with a narrow and short yron but so sharp and handsome that as occasion serueth with the same weapon they can fight both at hand and a farre off and the horseman is contented with a shield and a framea The footemen vse weapons to throw one man a great many and that a great way off naked or couered with a light cassocke Handsomnes and neatnes in attire they do not brag of but trim and distinguish their shields only with varietie of colours Brigantine or cote of fence few haue Salet or head-peece scarse any one vseth Their horses are neither beautifull to the eye nor swift nor mannaged to the carrire according to our fashion but to go on straight or turne on the right hand so close and round that not one drags behinde another All things well considered their greatest strength consisteth of footemen and therefore in their fight they mingle the one with the other the footemen which are a chosen number out of the youth and placed before the battell neither going too hastily before the horsemen nor drailing after but marching in proportionable measure with them There is a certain number set downe that is of euery towneship or borough an hundred for so they terme themselues and that which was but a number at the first is now a name and an honor Their battels be pointed to giue ground so as they charge lustely after they thinke rather a point of good policie then cowardlines The bodies of their souldiers they carrie away euen in doubtfull battels to abandon his shield is the chiefest disgrace and offence an ignominious person is barred from their sacrifices and from their assemblies and many which haue fled from battels haue for shame hanged themselues Their Kings they choose by noblenes of birth and their Captaines by valour The Kings power is restrained and not to do what he listeth and their Captaines if they be forward in sight and in the point of the battell are admired and reuerenced rather for their example then commanderie Power to punish to emprison or beate none haue but Priests yet that not as a punishment or at the Captaines commandement but as it were by the commaundement of God whom they beleeue doth assist warriors in battels and carrie before them certaine images and monuments taken out of the woods And which is the chiefest encouragement of all they make not their pointed battell at
their auncient renowne of warres excell the rest in seruice of horse and the Catteans deserue no greater commendation for footemen then the Tencterians for horsemen So did their predecessors ordaine it and successors follow it These are the childrens pastimes this the emulation betwixtyong men and old men continue the same and horses are deliuered as rights of inheritance among the familie and the sonnes receiue them though not the eldest but he who is most couragious and likeliest to make a marshall man Hard by the Tencteri in times past the Bructeri did inhabit but now it is reported that the Chamauians and Angriuarians are entred into that countrey and wholie rooted out and chased the Bructerians by agreement of nations adioyning either as hating them for their pride or for sweetnes of pray or some fauor of the gods towards vs as not denying vs the spectacle of the battel wherein there were slaine threescore thousand not by the Roman armes and weapons but which is more glorious to shew vs pastime and please our eye I wish that if those people cannot loue vs that they would hate one another seeing that the state of the Empire fatally declining fortune can do vs no greater fauor then sowe sedition among the enemies The Angriuarians and Chamauians haue behinde them the Dulgibini and Chasuari and other nations not greatly spoken of and before them the Frisians The Frisians are called great or small according to their strength the Rhene bordering both vnto the Ocean and besides that do comprehend huge and spacious lakes which the Roman nauie hath past yea and the Ocean itselfe we haue entred into and tried on that side And the fame goeth that Hercules pillers are yet there to be seene either because Hercules went so farre or else because by common consent all that is any where magnificall is attributed to his renowme Drusus Germanicus wanted not courage but the Ocean hindered vs for being ouer inquisitiue of him or Hercules After that no man assayed to do it as being an act of greater deuotion and reuerence to beleeue the actions of the gods rather then know them Hitherto we haue seene the West part of Germanie towards the North it goeth bowing with a great compas And first of all the people of the Chauceans although they begin at the Frisians and possesse part of the shore coast all those nations I haue made mention of vntill they wind into the Catti and so spacious and huge countrey the Chauci do not only hold but fill likewise of all the German nation the noblest and desirous to maintaine their greatnes by iustice without couetousnes or vnbrideled lust quiet and retired stirre vp no warres neuer waste spoile nor rob And which is a speciall marke of their valour and strength they got not their superioritie ouer others by any wrongs offered Yet they are all readie for warre and if occasion require to make an armie wanting neither horse nor men and although they lie quiet yet their reputation is neuer the lesser On the side of the Chauci and Catti the Cherusci haue nourished long beeing neuer prouoked an idle and lazie peace which was more sweet than safe vnto them bicause there is no sure peace betweene stirring and strong people For when the matter is come to hand-strokes modestie and good dealing be termes which belong to superiors So the Cherusci in times past good and iust are now called cowards and fooles and the fortune of the Catti being fauourable is cause that they are counted wise The Fosi a people bordering vpon the Cherusci are touched with their ruine companions in their aduersitie though in prosperitie they were inferiour vnto them Neere vnto the same coast of the Ocean the Cimbrians inhabite now a small people but highly renowned hauing yet remaining certaine markes of their old glotie to wit on both the bankes trenches and lodges by the circuit of which thou maist yet measure the greatnes and strength of that nation and beleeue the number of so great an armie It was sixe hundred and fortie yeeres after the foundation of our citie before the Cimbrians armes were heard of when Caecilius Metellus and Papirius Carbo were Consuls From that time vnto the second time that the Emperor Traian was Consull by iust account are two hundred and ten yeeres and so many yeeres we were a conquering Germanie In the middle time there were many losses on both parts Not the Samnites not the Carthagineans not the Spaniards or the Gallois no not the Parthian haue so often troubled vs the libertie of the Germans being more earnest than the kingdome of the Arsacides For what can the East obiect against vs sauing the death of Crassus when he had defeated Pacorus before troden downe by Ventidius But the Germans hauing either slaine or taken Carbo and Cassius and Scaurus Aurelius and Seruilius Cepio and M. Manlius haue defeated also fiue Consularie armies and Varus with three legions in Caesars time neither haue C. Marius in Italie or Iulius in Gallia Drusus and Nero and Germanicus molested them in their houses without blowes After that C. Caesars great threatnings were turned to a iest Then there was quietnes vntill our ciuill warres gaue them occasion when they had taken the standing campes of the legions to haue a desire to enter Gallia from whence being againe driuen out in late times they haue beene rather triumphed ouer then vanquished VI. The Sueuians and other people NOw we will speake of the Sueui which are not one nation as the Catti and Tencteri and possessing the greater part of Germanie and seuered by peculiar names and countries although by one generall name they be called Sueui whose marke is to curle their haire and tie it on knots By that the Sueuian is distinguished from the other Germans and the free borne Sueuian from the bond man That in other countries is vsed also but seldome times either for affinitie with the Sueuians or as it often happeneth by imitation and whilest they be yoong but the Sueuians euen vntill they be old and gray haue their haire standing an end and often tie it on the crown only princes weare it after a finer fashion That is the harmelesse care they haue of their beautie For they vse it not either to winne loue or be beloued but turne it vp to a certaine height to seeme to the enimie more terrible when they go thus trimmed to the warre The Semnones say they are the most auncient of the Sueuians and the most noble The credit of their antiquitie they confirme with this ceremonie At certaine times all of one blood meet by their deputies in a wood reputed holy by the auguration of their forefathers and auncient reuerence where publickly killing a man they celebrate the barbarous beginnings of their ceremonie Yet there is another reason why the wood is had in reuerence No man entereth into it but bound with somewhat as an inferiour person and acknowledging the power of the god
hand with such as resisted contrarily the Romaine souldier beate them downe with speares thrust them back with the pikes of their bucklers lanced darts and rowled heapes of stones from the wall vpon them The hope of victory alreadie gotten and that if they should now faint and be ouercome shame and reproch put life and courage into our in them desperate hope of life many hauing their mothers and wiues bewailing and lamenting about them The night animated some to boldnes droue some into a feare blowes flew on all hands wounds giuen and taken vnlooked for no man knowing his fellow from the enemie and the found of the voices as if it were an eccho rebounding behinde them in the turning and winding of the mountaine brought such a confusion that the Romaines abandoned their standings and holds as though they had been battered and broken downe howbeit a small number of the enemies escaped aliue the residue the most couragious either slaine or wounded at the opening of the day were chased to their fortresses and at length forced to yeeld willing to accept the first conditions the winner would offer to the rest a cruell and timely winter by reason of the hill Haemus was a safegard that they could neither be subdued by force nor siege XII The sharpe vvords vvhich Agrippina vsed to Tiberius for accusing Claudia Pulchra her cosen vvhat good vvill vvas borne the Smyrnaeans aboue the other tovvnes of Asia and the cause BVt at Rome the Princes house being greatly troubled to begin the course of Agrippinaes future ruine Claudia Pulchra her cosen german was called into question by Domitius Aser who hauing beene lately Pretor of small reputation and eager by what meanes soeuer to winne credit laid to her charge that shee leade an vnhonest life with Furnius and practised to poison and vsed inchantments against the Prince Agrippina being of a fell and haughtie disposition and then more then euer kindled through the danger of her neere cosen hasteneth to Tiberius whom by chance she found sacrificing to his father and taking hold of that of occasion told him it was two mens office to offer sacrifice in memorie of Augustus and persecute his posteritie that the diuine spirite was not transfused into dumb statuaes images but the true image descended of celestiall blood felt the smart of his posteritie and therefore she would take vpon hir the person of the partie accused that it was in vaine to take exceptions against Pulchra whose onely ruine was that vnconsideratly she had loued and reuerenced Agrippina forgetting what had fallen to Sosia for the same cause Those words prouoked Tiberius although seldome vsing to open the secrets of his breast and rebuking her in a Greeke verse said that therefore she was displeased bicause she could not raigne Pulchra and Furnius are condemned and Afer the excellencie of his wit knowen and Caesar attributing vnto him praise of eloquence held among the chiefe orators After this practised in accusing and defending of parties he was better knowen for eloquence then honestie of life sauing that when his eloquence in his latter age decaied and his spirits failed yet was neuer quiet when if his toong walked not But Agrippina frowardly persisting in anger and incumbred with sicknes when Caesar went to visit her powring downe in a long silence manie teares at last burst into enuie and entreatie that he would redresse her solitarie life and being yet but a yoong woman prouide her a husband Marriage being the only comfort of minds honestly giuen that there were some in the citie which would vouchsafe to receiue Germanicus wife and his children But Caesar not ignorant of what importance this request was to the common-wealth yet least he should openly seeme to displease or feare her gaue her though most earnestly demaunding no answere at all That I finde not in the writers of Annales but in the Commentaries of Agrippina her daughter who being Neroes mother hath deliuered to posteritie her life and calamities which fell to her friends But Seianus in this dumpe sent her a message vnlooked for and vnder colour of friendship which was that there was poison prepared for her and that she should auoide to eate or drinke with her father in lawe But she not knowing how to dissemble sitting by him at table could not be woon to looke cheerefully or speake a word or touch any meate vntill at last Tiberius marked it either by chance or bicause he had had some inckling of it And to trie that more certainely praising certaine apples as they were serued in gaue of them with his owne hand to his daughter in law which augmented Agrippinaes suspition and not once tasting of them deliuered them to the waiters Yet openly Tiberius spake not one word but turning to his mother said that it was no maruell if he had proceeded seuerely against her seeing she had an opinion he went about to poison her Thereupon a rumor was spread that her destruction was sought for and that the Emperour durst not openly attempt it and therefore sought secret meanes to compasse it But Caesar to stop that rumor shewed himselfe often in Senat and gaue the Ambassadors of Asia audience manie daies togeither when they doubted in what citie they should erect a Temple in honor of him A eleauen cities of different power stroue with like ambition for that honour alleaging that there was not any great difference betwixt them in antiquitie of time loue and affection to the people of Rome in the warres against Persus and Aristonicus and other Kings The Hypaepeni Tralliani togeither with the Laodiceni Magnetiens were sent away as not sufficiently grounded No nor the Ilienses producing that Troy was the mother of Rome had any foundation of their reasonsauing onely antiquitie But some doubt was made of the Halicarnassi bicause that for the space of a thousand and two hundred yeeres their cities had neuer beene shaken with any earthquake and that the foundation of their Temple was built vpon liuely strong stone The Pergameni were answered that they had receiued honour enough in that they had Augustus Temple amongst them seeing that thereon they grounded their reason It seemeth that the Ephesians and Milesians had their cities occupied the one in the ceremonies of Apollo and the other of Diana In so much that all the contention rested betwixt the Sardinians and Smyrnaeans The Sardinians recited a decree of the Etrurians as being of their blood for Tyrrhenus and Lydus King Atyes sons diuided the land betwixt them by reason of the increase of the people And Lydus remained in his countrey and Tyrrhenus went to seeke newe countries to inhabit which were called by the names of their Captaines they in Asia and these in Italie and in progresse of time the Lydians growing to farther wealth sent people into Greece which were afterward called Peloponesians They told vs also of letters sent them by our Captaines of treatise made with vs in the warre of
tributes woulde be demaunded Manie societies of tributes and tallages were established by the Consuls and Tribunes of the people euen when the communaltie had greatest libertie Things afterwarde were so proportioned that the receits and reuenues shoulde be answerable to the layings out Indeede the couetousnes of the farmers was to be moderated least things tolerated so many yeeres without complaint should turne to further mischiefe and hatred by their strange greedines The prince therefore by edict commanded that the taxation of euerie custome which hitherto hath bin concealed should now be published and that the farmers should not after the yeere was expired demaund any thing let slip or forgottē during that time That in Rome the Pretor in the prouinces those which supplied the places of the pretors Consuls should extraordinarily determine against the farmers of common rents That souldiers shoulde keepe their immunitie those things excepted wherin they trafficked and many other iust things which obserued a short time afterward came to nothing Neuerthelesse the abolishing of one in fortie and one in fiftie continueth and what other names the farmers had inuented for their vnlawfull exactions The carriage of corne to partes beyond the seas was moderated And ordained that marchants ships should not be valued in the generall estimate of their goods nor tribute paied for them Caesar discharged Sulpitius Camerinus and Pomponius Siluanus who had beene Proconsuls in Affrike and accused by the prouince obiecting against Camerinus rather cruell dealing against a few priuat men then extortion in generall A great number of accusers came about Siluanus and required time to produce witnesses but the defendant desired his defences might presently be hearde which being rich childlesse and old he obtained and ouerliued those by whose suite he had escaped The estate of Germanie was quiet vntill then through the industrie of the captaines who seeing the honor of triumph common hoped for greater glory if they could continue peace Paullinus Pompeius and L. Vetus had charge of the armie at that time yet least they should keepe the souldier in idlenes Paullinus finished a banke begun threescore and three yeeres before by Drusus to keepe in the riuer of Rhene Vetus went about to ioyne Mosella and Araris by a ditch cast betweene them that the armies conueyed by sea then by Rhodanus and Araris by that ditch anon after by Mosa into Rhene in the end should fall into the Ocean that all difficulties of the passages taken away the west and north seas might be nauigable from the one to the other Aelius Gracilis Lieutenant of Belgia enuied the worke dehorting Vetus least he should bring the legions into anothers prouince seeke to win the harts of the Gallois affirming it to be dangerous to the Emperour a pretext which often hindereth honest indeuours Through the continuall rest of the armies a rumor was spred that the Lieutenants were forbidden to leade them against the enemie Whereupon the Frisians placed their youth in the woods and marishes sent their feeble old men to the banks of Rhene planting them in voide grounds appointed out for the vse of souldiers Verritus and Malorigis being the authors thereof who then gouerned the countrey which the Germains were Lords of Now they had built houses sowed the ground and tilled it as though it had been their natiue countrey when Dubius Auitus hauing receiued the prouince of Paullinus threatning to send the Roman forces vnlesse the Frisians would returne to their old homes or obtaine a new place of habitation of Caesar enforced Varritus and Malorigis to fall to intreatie And taking their iourney to Rome whilest they attended for Nero busied in other matters among other things woont to be shewen to barbarous people they went to Pompeius Theater to behold the multitude of people There at their leisure for being vnskilfull in those plaies tooke no great delight in them whilest they inquired of many things touching the assemblie skaffolds differences of degrees which were gentlemen where the Senators sate they perceiued some in a strange attire in the Senators roomes and asking who they were when they vnderstoode that that honour was done to the Embassadors of those countries which excelled in vertue and friendship with the Romans they cried that There were none in the world more valiant and faithfull than the Germans and so went and sate among the Lords of the Senate which was courteously taken of the beholders as a forwardnes of their old good nature and a commendable emulation of vertue Nero gaue them both the priuileges of a citizen of Rome and commaunded the Frisians to depart the countrey they had possessed who refusing to obeie a troupe of ayde horsemen sent on the sudden forced them to it and those taken and slaine which most obstinately resisted The Ansibariās entered the same territories a stronger nation then the other not onely by their owne strength but by the pitie their neighbours take on them bicause that being driuen out by the Chauci and wanting dwelling places they desired they might haue it as a sure place of exile They had for their conductor a man of great reputation in that countrey and vnto vs likewise trustie called Boiocalus who declared how by the commaundement of Arminius he had beene taken prisoner when the Cheruscirebelled then how he had serued the Romans fiftie yeeres vnder Tiberius and Germanicus He said further He would put his nation vnder our dominion What neede was there of such spatious waste grounds to put at sometimes onely the souldiers heards and cattell to feed That they might reserue those grounds they had receiued for their stocks albeit men died with famine so as they desired not rather a wildernes than an habitation of people their confederates In times past those fields belonged to the Chamauorians then to the Tubantians and in the ende to the Vsipians As the heauen was giuen the gods so the earth to makind and that which was not possessed was common Then beholding the sunne and calling vpon the rest of the stars he asked as it were in their presence whether they would see the land naked That they would rather ouerwhelme the takers away of the earth with the sea Auitus mooued with these speeches aunswered that the commaundement of their betters was to be obeied It was the will of the gods whom they called vpon that the arbitrement should belong to the Romans what they should giue and what take away neither would they suffer any iudges but themselues These things he aunswered the Ansibarians in publicke to Boiocalus he would giue grounds in memorie of his friendship Which he as if it had beene a reward of treason contemning added We may want land to liue in but to die in we cannot and so they parted both discontented They called the Bructeri and Tencteri and other nations further off their confederates to ioine in warre with them Auitus hauing written to Curtilius Mancia Lieutenant of the vpper armie that he should passe
ouer Rhene and shew the forces behinde them conducted the legions himselfe into the Tencterans countrey threatning their destruction vnles they would breake with the Ansibarians These therefore desisting the Bructeri daunted with the like feare and the rest fleeing from others perils the Ansibarian nation alone retired back to the Vsipians and Tubantians from whose territories being expulsed as they went to the Catti then to the Cherusci by long wandering strangers poore enemies in a strange countrey that youth that was left was slaine those that for age were vnfit for warre diuided for a pray The same summer there was a great battell fought betweene the Hermunduri and Catti each side striuing by force to be maister of a riuer which yeelded aboundance of salt sited in the confines of both their countries And besides a desire of ending all strifes by warre they had a religion rooted in them that those places are aboue others neere heauen and the prayers of mortall men no where sooner heard then from thence For they were of opinion that by the goodnes of the gods in that riuer and in those woods came increase of salt not as in other countries of the wooes of the sea when the water is dried vp but by that water cast vpon a pile of wood set on fire by the vertue of two contrary elements fire and water which becommeth thick and congealed The warre was prosperous on the Hermundurians side but the vtter ruine of the Catteans because of a vow they made that if they were conquerors they would dedicate the contrary army to Mars and Mercury protesting horses men all things ouercome should be put to the sword and truly those deadly threats were turned against themselues But the citie of the Iuhonians confederate with vs was afflicted with a sudden disaster for fires issuing out of the earth burned townes fields villages euery where and spread euen vnto the walles of a Colonie newly built and could not be extinguished neither by raine nor riuer water nor any other liquor that could be employed vntill for want of remedie and anger of such a destruction certaine peasants cast stones a farre off into it then the flames somewhat slakning drawing neere they put it out with blowes of clubs and other like as if it had been a wilde beast Last of all they threw in clothes from their backs which the more worne and fouler the better they quenched the fires The same yeere the Fig tree called Ruminalis in the place of assemblies which aboue eight hundred and fortie yeeres before had couered Remus and Romulus infancie hauing his boughes dead and the bodie beginning to wither was held as a prodigious signe vntill it began to flourish againe and thrust out new shootes THE FOVR TEENTH BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS I. Nero abused by Poppaea determineth to put to death Agrippina his mother Agrippinaes vnchast life to maintaine her greatnes CVipsanius and Fonteius being Consuls Nero deferred no longer his long before intended wickednes his boldnes by long rule being increased and his lust to Poppaea more and more enflamed who casting off all hope of marrying Nero or seeing a diuorce betweene him and Octauia whilest Agrippina liued sometimes tauntingly and sometimes merily began to find her self grieued with the Prince and calling him a ward subiect vnto others controulement said he was so far from the gouerment of the Empire that he wanted his owne libertie For why was the marrying of her delayed forsooth her beautie did not please his eye nor the noblenes of her grand-fathers who had so oft triumphed Or did he misdoubt her childbearing and true affection or least being his wife she should discouer the iniuries done to the Senat and the anger of the people against the pride and couetousnes of his mother But if Agrippina could indure no daughter in lawe but such as her sonne can worst away withall let her be restored againe to Otho her husband She was content to go any whither where shee should rather heare of the contumelies done to the Prince then see them and take part of his dangers These and the like pearcing speeches with teares and cunning by the adulteresse vttered no man hindered all men desiring that the mothers authoritie were taken lower and no man beleeuing that the sonnes hate would extend to her death Cluuius doth report that Agrippina through a burning desire of continuing her authoritie and greatnes grew to that shamelesnes that in the midst of the day when Nero was well tippled and full of good cheere she offered herselfe to him drunke as he was trimly decked and readie to commit incest and the standers by noted her lasciuious kisses and other allurements messengers of her vnchast meaning And how Seneca hauing recourse to another woman for a remedie against these intisments sent Actes a freed woman priuilie to him who carefull as well of her owne danger as Neroes infamie gaue aduertisment that the incest was commonly spoken of by reason his mother bragged thereof and that the souldiers would not endure the gouerment of so profane a Prince Fabius Rusticus reported that not Agrippina but Nero lusted after that but was discouraged by the cunning of the same freed woman But what Cluuius had reported is confirmed by other authors and the fame inclineth that way either because Agrippina had conceiued indeede so heinous a fact in her minde or that an intention of strange lust seemed more credible in her who in her yongyeeres blinded with hope of rule forfeited her honestie with Lepidus and with the like lust abandoned her bodie euen to Pallas will as one hardned and shameles in all loosenes of life by marrying her owne vncle Therefore Nero eschued her secret companie And when she went to her gardens or to Tusculanum or Antiates he praised her that she droue away idlenes At last wheresoeuer she bestowed her selfe thinking her troublesome to him determined to make her away whether by poison or by the sword or any other violence that only was his doubt and first he resolued to do it by poison But if it should be giuen her at his table it could not be attributed to chance Britannicus alreadie dying the same death and to sound the minds of her seruants seemed dangerous and being a woman long practised in wickednes was alwayes armed against the like and by taking counterpoisons before hand it was to be feared it would take no effect To kill her with the sword there was no inuention how to conceale the murder and Nero feared least any chosen to so dangerous attempt should refuse to obey II. Anicetus worketh a meanes how to make away Agrippina Neroes mother ANicetus a freed man captaine of the nauie at Misenum one which had brought vp Nero in his childhood hating and hated of Agrippina found out an inuention for the purpose which was that there might a gallie be made loose by arte in the bottome that should let her fall into the