his sisters sonne being very yoong to the pontificall dignitie and Aedilship and M. Agrippa meanly descended but in martiall exploites warlike and a companion in his victories to be twise Consul togither and after Marcellus death chose him to be his sonne in lawe And his owne house not failing he bestowed the title of Emperor vpon Tiberius Nero and Claudius Drusus his wiues children and adopted Caius and Lucius Agrippaes children and making shew to the contrarie yet his earnest desire was they should be called Princes of youth and chosen Consuls elect before they had cast off their praetext or infants garments But when Agrippa was dead and Lucius going into Spaine to take charge of the armie and Caius returning wounded out of Armenia by hastie fate or trecherie of their stepmother Liuia Drusus also dead long before onely Nero was left of all Augustus sonnes in lawe Vnto him all men now crowched and fawned being receiued the adopted sonne of Augustus copartner of the empire associate of the Tribunitian dignitie shewen to the campe as successor not as before by secret deuises and practises of his mother but openly perswading the Emperor thereto For she had so enthralled the sillie olde man that Agrippa Posthumus his onely nephew he had confined in the Iland Planasia in deede badly trained vp in liberall sciences and sottishly bragging of his strength and actiuitie of bodie but yet neuer detected of any notorious vice He gaue Germanicus sonne vnto Drusus charge ouer eight legions by the riuer of Rhene and commanded Tiberius albeit he had a sonne of his owne to adopt him the better to establish the succession with mo staies than one Wars there were none at that time but onely against the Germans not so much in regard of enlarging the empire hope of bootie or reward as to blot out the dishonor receiued when he lost his armie with Quinctilius Varo All was quiet in the citie the old names of the magistrates vnchanged the yoong men borne after the victorie at Actium and the greatest part of the old during the ciuill wars how many were there which had seene the ancient forme of gouernment of the free Common-wealth Thus then the state of the citie turned vpside downe there was no signe of the olde laudable customes to be seene but contrarie equalitie taken away euery man endeuored to obey the prince misdoubting nothing whilest Augustus yet strong in bodie was able to defend himselfe his house and peace But when he grew olde and feeble with sicknes and that the end of his gouernment and hope of a new was not far off some few but in vaine discourst of the commodities of libertie some feared war some desired it but the greatest part vsed lauish speeches and spred rumors against the next coniectured successor Agrippa they accounted by nature cruell and through the indignitie of his late disgrace easily kindled yoong and rawe in state matters vnable for so great a charge In deede Tiberius was of conuenient and ripe yeeres expert in feates of war but possest with the hereditarie pride of the Claudian familie yea manie apparent sparkles of crueltie did burst out in him howsoeuer he went about to suppresse them Besides he was brought vp in a house which knew how to raigne the Consulship was more than once cast vpon him with triumphes During the time that he was at Rhodes cloking his exile vnder colour of retiring himselfe he dreamte of nothing but reuenge dissimulation and secret meanes of licentious lusts withall he had his mother at hand vntolerable in all imperfections incident to the sexe and thereby they were to obey a woman and two yoong men which would in the meane space oppresse and in time rent in peeces the Common-wealth II. The death of Augustus and Tiberius Nero made Emperour WHilest they thus debated the matter Augustus maladie increased and as it was suspected by some through the lewde practise of his wife For not many months before a rumor was spread that Augustus with the priuitie of a few accompanied only with Fabius Maximus had conueyed himselfe to the Iland Planasia to visite his nephew Agrippa both weeping tenderly at their meeting with manifest tokens of loue and a hope conceiued that the yong man should be recalled and restored to his Grandfathers house Fabius disclosed this to Martia his wife and she to Liuia and C. Nauus to Caesar for not long after Fabius doubtfull whether by his owne procurement or not being deceased his wife Martia among other her lamentations at her husbands funerall was ouer-heard to accuse her selfe as the cause of her husbands death But howsoeuer the matter passed Tiberius had scarse put foote in Illyricum when by letters from his mother he was recalled in post haste not being well knowne when he arriued at Nola whether there were any breath yet left in Augustus or not For Liuia had beset the house with a watchfull and straight gard sometimes giuing out that Augustus was on the mending hand and so hauing made all sure on all hands as the time and occasion required the same rumor which not long before gaue ioyfull newes of Augustus amendment now published that he was dead and Nero in possession of the Empire The first exploit this new Prince did was the murdering of Posthumus Agrippa whom a Centurion resolute and appointed for the purpose and taking him vnarmed and misdoubting nothing yet could hardly dispatch Tiberius made no words of this to the Senate but pretended that it was done by his fathers appointment who as he said had giuen charge to the Centurion which had the garding of him to make him away incontinently after he had intelligence of his death Little doubt but Augustus complaining of the yong mans vntowardly behauior caused his exile to be confirmed by decree of the Senate but yet he neuer persisted long in desiring the death of any of his neither was it credible that to assure the estate to his wiues sonne he would seeke the bloud of his owne nephew But very likely it is that the yong mans death was hastened by Tiberius feare and Liuiaes hatred the one as iealous least he should bandie for the soueraigntie the other through the naturall hatred incident to all stepmothers When the Centurion brought him word as the manner of seruice was that he had fulfilled his commandement he answered presently that he commanded him no such matter and that he should answere it before the Senate When this newes came to Crispus Sallustius eares who being inward in greatest secrets with Tiberius had by letters giuen the Centurion order how to proceede fearing least his owne turne should be next dangerous to him alike to confesse the truth or to stand to a lye aduised Liuia that she should not in any wise diuulgate the secrets of her house the counsell of friends and seruices of souldyers and that Tiberius should beware of weakening the power of soueraigntie in referring all things to the Senate the
an enemie and therefore credited his counsell as faithfull Vologeses therefore was not implacablie head-strong * and demaunded truce vnto some gouerments Tiridates requireth place and day of parley A short time was assigned the place where of late the legions were besieged with Paetus seeing it was chosen by the Barbarians in remembraunce of their ioyfull hap was not refused by Corbulo that the diuersitie of fortune might augment his glorie Neither was Paetus infamie increased which appeered plainely in that he commaunded his sonne who was Tribune to appoint certaine bands to burie and couer the dead bodies of the vnfortunate conflict VII Tiridates speaketh with Corbulo and yeeldeth vp the crovvne of Armenia in the Roman campe THe day appointed Tiberius Alexander a noble gentleman of Rome giuen as an aide to the warre and Viuianus Annius Corbuloes sonne in lawe not yet of age to be Senator but assigned in the place of the Lieutenant of the fift legion came to Tiridates campe to do him honour and that hauing such pledges he should feare no treacherie And then were taken twentie horsemen on each side And the King seeing Corbulo lighted first from his horse and Corbulo did the like immediately and both of them on foote ioyned right hands Then the Roman praised the yoong Prince that leauing dangerous vncertainties he would imbrace sure and wholesome counsell Tiridates hauing spoken much of the noblenes of his stocke in the rest was temperate saying that he would goe to Rome and bring Caesar newe glorie Arsacides humblie intreating the Parthians being daunted with no aduerse encounter Then seemed it good that Tiridates should lay his royall crowne before Caesars image and not take it againe but at the hand of Nero and so the speech was ended with a short salutation A few dayes after with a great pomp on both parts they shewed themselues his horsemen ranged into troupes on one side with the ensignes of his countrey and on the other the armie of the legions marshalled in order with glittering standards and ensignes and images of the gods in manner of a temple In the middle was planted a tribunall and in it a chaire of estate with Neroes image vnto which Tiridates went and sacrifices offered according to the custome taketh the crowne from his head and laide it vnder the image which troubled the minds of such as had yet before their eyes the slaughter and besieging of the Romane armies But now fortune was changed and Tiridates a spectacle to the people how much better then a captiue Corbulo added to his glorie courtesie and feastings and as the King marked any strange thing and asked the cause as the beginnings of the watches brought by the Centurion the banket ended with a trumpet the pile of wood before the Augural altar lighted with a torch Corbulo made him answere extolling euery thing more then it was to draw the new Prince into an admiration of the old custome The last day when he was to take his iourney he desired time to visit his brothers and mother before his departure and left his daughter for an hostage in the meane space and letters of submission to be sent to Nero. And departed thence he found Pacorùs with the Medes and Vologeses at Ecbatanes not vnmindfull of his brother for he had requested of Corbulo by speciall messengers that Tiridates might not shew any token of seruitude or deliuer vp his weapons or be barred from imbracing the gouernors of prouinces or attend at their dores but haue the same honor at Rome that the Consuls had Being accustomed to forren pride he was vnacquainted with our manners with whom the lawe of rule and dominion beareth sway vanities being laid aside The same yeere Caesar honored the nations of the sea Alpes with the rights and priuiledges of the Latians and in the Cirque placed the Gentlemen of Rome before the people For vntill that day they sate indifferently because the lawe Roscian had taken no order but for foureteene orders A shew of Fencers was represented that yeere with like magnificence as others before but many noble women and Senators wiues were discredited in the Theater VIII Nero singeth on the stage The fall of the same stage Torquatus Silanus death Nero attired like a woman weddeth Pythagoras C. Lecanius and M. Licinius being Consuls Nero more and more desired to frequent the stage without any respect for as yet he had not song but in his house and gardens in plaies of youth which now he despised as not frequented and too meane for such a voice Yet he durst not begin at Rome but chose Naples as a Greeke citie thinking that that might serue for a commencement to goe to Achaia where hauing obtained the famous and in times past reputed sacred crownes by that meanes grown in credit he thought he should stur a great desire in the citizens of Rome to heare him The cōmón rabble flocked together or such as the fame of those plaies had drawne frō the next colonies townes and such as followed him either to do him honor or sundrie other occasions yea companies of souldiers filled the Theater of Naples There hapned as most men thought a dolefull chance but yet as he construed it foretokening good luck and sent by the fauorable prouidence of the gods For the people were no sooner gone and the Theater emptie but it fell downe without hurt done to any Therfore with songs composed for the purpose thanking the gods and celebrating the fortune of the late chance going to the Adriatike sea he stayed in the meane time at Beneuentum where by Vatinius was exhibited a notable play of Fencers Vatinius was one of the shamelest monsters of his court brought vp in a coblers shop mishapen of bodie and a scurrile iester and therefore first emploied in that practise then by pickthanking and informing against the better sort grew to such authoritie that in credit and wealth and power of doing hurt he was worse then the worst Nero then comming to the play he had set forth no not at their pastime did they abstaine from doing of mischiefe For the selfesame daye Torquatus Silanus was constrained to dye because that besides the noblenes of the Iunian familie he sayd that he was in the fourth degree lineally descended from Augustus of famous memorie The accusers were commaunded to lay to his charge that he was prodigall in gifts and that all his hope lay in the alteration of the state And that he had noble men about him which he called his Secretaries maisters of requests Auditors which were names of imperiall dignitie and deseignments of great attempts Then the chiefest of his freed men were bound and caried away And when Torquatus condemnation was at hand he cut the vaines of his armes and Nero as his manner was made an oration after that although he had beene culpable and worthily distrusted his purgation yet he should haue had his life graunted him if he would haue expected the
looseth anker and moderated his course to returne the sooner if Germanicus death should open him a way to Syria Germanicus being a little amended and in some hope then growing feeble againe when his end was at hand he spake to his friends about him in this manner If I should die a naturall death yet should I haue iust cause of griefe against the gods that by an vntimely death they shuold take me in my youth from my kinsfolks children and countrey But now being brought to this passe by the lewde practise of Piso and Plancina I leaue in your breasts for my last prayers that you signifie vnto my father and my brother with what crueltie torne with what fraude circumuented I haue ended my miserable life with a most naughtie death If the hopes conceiued of me haue moued any if neerenes in bloud any yea if enuie towards me when I liued they will weepe that he who hath sometimes flourished and escaped so many battels should now end his life by the guile and treachery of a woman you shall haue occasion to complaine to the Senate and demaund the execution of lawes This is not the chiefest dutie of friends to shew their affection towards the dead by a slow and dull complaint but remember and execute that which they commanded Yea such as knew not Germanicus wil weepe for him If you did rather loue me then my fortune you will reuenge my death Shew the people of Rome Augustus neece and the same my wife and my children which are sixe in number the accusers themselues will haue compassion and those which pretend wicked commaundements shall either not bee beleeued or not pardoned His friends taking him by the right hand swore they would rather lose their life then omit reuenge Then turning to his wife intreated hir by the memorie of him and by the children common betweene them that she would lay aside all haughtines and submit her courage to raging fortune lest returning to the citie she stirred not with emulation of greatnes more powerable then her selfe against her Thus much he vttered openly and other things in secret whereby it was coniectured he stoode in feare of Tiberius Not long after he yeelded vp the ghost with great lamentation of the Prouince and countries about forren nations and Kings lamented also so great was his courtesie to his allies and mildnes to his enimies He was no lesse venerable to those which sawe him than to those which heard of him and did so well temper the greatnes of high estate grauitie that he auoided both enuie arrogancie His funerals although he had neither images nor pompe yet by the commendation and memorie of his vertues were honoured of all men Some there were which compared his fauour his age and manner of death by reason of the vicinitie of the places wherein they died vnto Alexander the great For being both of a comely stature noble parentage not much aboue thirtie yeeres of age they died in strange countries by the trecherie of their owne people But this man was courteous towards his friends moderate in pleasures his children certaine begotten in marriage by one woman Neither was he to be counted a lesse warrior then the other although he were not rash hindered to reduce vnder the yoke of seruitude the Germans daunted with so many victories And if he alone had had the supreme managing of affaires and power a name of a King so much the sooner he would haue carried away the prise renowne of warfare by how much he did excel him in clemencie temperancie other good vertues His bodie before it should be burned was laid naked in the market place of Antioche which was the place appointed for his buriall Whether he shewed any tokens of being poisoned or not it is vnknowen for diuers did diuersly interpretit either as they were inclined to pitie Germanicus or suspected to fauour Piso This being done the Lieutenants the Senators which were present cōsulted amōg themselues whom they should make gouernor of Syria the rest not greatly contending it was long debated betwixt Marsus Gn. Sentius in the end Marsus yeelded to Sentius being his elder prosecuting the suite more eagerlie He sent to Rome one Martina a woman infamous in that Prouince for empoisoning but deerly beloued to Plancina at the suite of Vitellius Veranius others which framed their acusations as against one already guilty of the fact But Agrippina wasted with sorrow feeble of body yet impatient of delaying reuenge took shipping with Germanicus ashes with her and her children all men taking compassion that a woman so nobly descended and who not long since in regarde of her stately marriage was honored and reuerenced by all men should now carrie in her lap those lamentable relickes of her husband incertaine of reuenge doubtfull of herperson so oft exposed to fortunes mercy by her vnluckie fruitfulnes XVIII Piso is doubtfull vvhether he should returne to Syria or not And prepareth an armie against Sentius IN the meane season a messenger ouertaketh and aduertiseth Piso at the Iland Cous that Germanicus was departed Which tidings he receiued intemperately offered sacrifices visited the temples nothing moderating his ioy and Plancina growing more insolent then first changed the mourning weede she ware for the death of hir sister into a ioifull attire The Centurions flocking about him told him that he had the good will of the legions at his deuotion that it was his best to returne to the prouince wrongfully taken from him and now voide of a gouernour Whereupon taking aduise what was best to be done his sonne M. Piso was of opinion that he shoulde make all haste to the citie that there was nothing yet done which might not be answered and that weakesuspicions and vaine reports were not to be feared The variance betweene him and Germanicus was woorthie perhaps of some rebuke but not punishment and by taking the prouince from him his enimies were satisfied But if he should returne Sentius being against him a newe ciuill warre would begin Neither would the Centurions and souldiers continue on his side with whom the fresh memory of their captaine and the loue deepely printed in their harts towards the Caesars woulde preuaile Domitius Celer one of his inwardest friends perswaded the contrarie That he ought to take the time when it was offered that Piso and not Sentius was made gouernour of Syria vnto him were the fasces and dignitie of Pretor giuen to him the legions committed If any violence should be offered by the enimie who should more iustly oppose his armes against them then he who hath receiued the authoritie of a Lieutenant and speciall commission Rumors grow stale and vanish away with time and often the innocent are borne downe with fresh enuie but if he had a power at hand and his forces increased many things which could not be foreseene by meere chaunce might turne to the better Do
ceremonies Dolabella Cornelius onely whilest he went about to exceed others falling into absurd flatterie thought it meete that he should from Campania enter into the citie ouant Wherupon Caesar wrote that he was not so needie of renowne that hauing vanquished most stout and prowde nations and receiued or refused in his youth so many triumphes he would in his old age hunt after a vaine reward of a voiage neere the citie X. Lepidus maketh an oration in defence of C. Lutorius accused of treason ABout the same time he made request vnto the Senat that Sulpitius Quirinius death might be solemnised with publicke funerals Quirinius was not of the auncient patritian familie of the Sulpitians but borne at Lanuuium a free towne a valiant warrior and forwards in all his charges was Consull vnder Augustus of famous memorie Then hauing won by assault the fortresse of the Homonadensians in Cilicia the markes of triumphe were awarded him then giuen as a guide to C. Caesar in the regiment of Armenia and when Tiberius was at Rhodes shewed him all duties of loue which Tiberius did open in Senat praising his dutifulnes towards him and accused M. Lollius to haue perswaded C. Caesar to seditions and lewdnes But vnto the rest the memorie of Quirinius was nothing pleasing by reason as I haue saide of the danger he brought Lepida into and miserable niggishnes and powerable old age In the end of the yeere a cari-tale accused C. Lutorius Priscus a gentleman of Rome who had composed notable funerall verses vpon Germanicus death and receiued money of Caesar for them obiecting that he had made them in honour of Drusus being sicke to the ende that if he had died they should haue beene published for greater reward Those verses Lutorius vpon vaine glorie had read in P. Petronius house in the presence of Vitellia his mother in lawe and many other noble women As soone as the pickthanke had shewed himselfe the rest forced by feare to giue witnes onely Vitellia stood to it that she had heard nothing But more credit being giuen to such as testified to his ouerthrow sentence of death was pronounced against him by Haterius Agrippa Consull elect Against whom M. Lepidus began to speake in this manner If we consider Lords of the Senat with what a wicked toong Lutorius Priscus hath polluted his minde and mens eares neither prison nor halter nor any seruile torments could suffice to punish him But if lewd and heinous facts be without meane yet the moderation of a Prince your own and your auncestors examples do mollifie the punishments and remedies of them vaine things do differ from wicked and words from villanous deedes And therefore iudgment may be giuen by which neither this mans offence goe scot-free we not repent vs either of our clemencie or seueritie I haue often heard our Prince complaine if any by killing himselfe hath preuented his clemēcy Lutorius life is yet in safety who being kept aliue will neither breed danger to the cōmon-wealth nor put to death serue for example to others As his studies were full of follie and without sence so they are likewise vaine and quickly at an end Neither is there any cause to feare any great or serious matter in him who bewraying his owne imperfections doth creepe not into mens but womens breasts Yet let him be expulsed the citie Which I iudge to be all one as if he had been conuicted of treason Among all the Consuls onely Rubellius Blandus agreed with Lepidus the rest following Agrippaes opinion Priscus was lead to prison and immediately depriued of his life The fact Tiberius with his accustomed ambiguitie of words blamed in Senate extolling the zealous affection of seuere punishments of princes iniuries though small yet entreated them that they woulde not so rashlie punish wordes praised Lepidus and rebuked not Agrippa Whereupon a decree of Senate was made that their orders shoulde not be caried to the treasurie before ten daies were expired and that so long the condemneds life should be prolonged But the Senators had no licence to repent and reuoke their sentence and Tiberius not to be pacified by tract of time XI Tiberius letter touching reformation of abuses THe yeere following C. Sulpitius and D. Haterius were created Consuls all being quiet from forrein troubles but seueritie against superfluities suspected at home which was growen to exceeding excesse in all things wherein money is lauishly spent Some of their expences although more vnreasonable yet were cloaked by dissembling their prices but gluttonie and belly-cheere euerie man commonly speaking of put them in feare least the prince shoulde rigorouslie proceed according to the ancient prouident frugalitie For C. Bibulus beginning the other Aediles shewed also that the law cōcerning excesse of expences was nought set by and the sumptuousnes of moueables which was forbiddē daily increased and that it coulde not be redressed by any reasonable meanes And the Lordes of the Senate being demanded their aduise referred the whole matter to the prince But Tiberius often pondered with himselfe whether such exorbitant lustes coulde bebrideled or not whether the brideling of them would not bring more hurt then benefit to the common-wealth how vnseemely and dishonorable it would be to vndertake that which could not be effected or if it could with the ignominie or infamie of noble men and in the end he sent letters to the Senate to this purpose It would be peraduenture conuenient Lords of the Senate that in other matters I should be demaunded my opinion in your presence and speake what I thought to be behouefull for the common wealth but in this relation it was better to withdraw mine eyes least that you noting the countenāce and the feare of euery one of such which should be deprehended of this shamefull lauishing I should also see them and take them as it were in the fault If the Aediles vigilant and carefull men had before hand asked my aduise I know not whether I should rather haue perswaded them to let passe strong and rooted vices then go so far that it should be knowne how vnable we be to redresse some kinde of abuses But they truly haue done their dutie and I wish that other magistrates would also fulfill theirs To me it is neither honest to hold my tongue nor easie to speake because I haue neither the office of an Aedile Pretor nor Consull Some greater matter is required of a Prince and of greater importance and when as euery man attributeth to himselfe the prayse of things well done the faults of all men in generall redounde to the dislike of the Prince alone What shall I begin first to forbid and reduce to the auncient custome your huge and spacious countrey houses the number of your seruitours of diuers nations the quantitie of siluer and gold your painted tables and brasen images of maruellous and exquisite workemanship superfluousnes of apparell both in men and women and those things which are proper vnto women as pretious
eies whom thou dost inrich whom thou dost aduance to honours who haue greatest power of hurting or helping which Seianus to haue had no man will denie The Princes hidden thoughts or if he go about any secret drift it is not lawfull to sound and dangerous neither shalt thou in the end reach vnto them Thinke not onely Lords of the Senat of Seianus last day but of sixteene yeeres in which we did likewise fawne vpon and court Satrius and Pomponius and to be knowen to his freed men and partners was reckoned as a high fauour What then Shall this defence be generall and not distinguished but a confusion made of times past and his later actions No but let it by iust bounds and termes be diuided Let the treasons against the common-wealth the intentions of murdering the Emperour be punished but as for the friendship duties pleasures and good turnes the same ende shall discharge and quite thee O Caesar and vs. The constancie of his oration one being found to deliuer that which they all thought in their mindes preuailed so much that his accusers by ripping vp their old faults were punished either with exile or death III. The occasion of making a Prefect at Rome an examen of some of the Sibyls bookes AFter that Tiberius sent letters against Sext. Vestilius sometime Pretor and welbeloued of Drusus his brother chosen to be one of his garde The cause of displeasure against Vestilius was either bicause he had composed certaine writings against Caesars vncleane life or falsly fathered vpon him gaue credit to the reporters and therupon being banished the Princes court familiarity hauing first gone about with his owne olde feeble hand to slaie himselfe bound vp his vaines and in the meane space hauing entreated the Princes fauour and receiued arigorous answere did at last open them Then at once were accused of treason Annius Pollio Appius Silanus Scaurus Mamercus Sabinus Caluisius Vicinianus also brought in with his father for companie all of them well descended and some in authoritie The Lords of the Senat quaked for feare for how manie was there which was not either allied or a friend of one of those noble men But Celsus Tribune of the citie-cohort and then an informer deliuered Appius and Caluisius from danger Caesar deferred Pollioes Vicinianus Scaurus cause that himselfe might haue the hearing of it with the Senators hauing giuen out alreadie tokens of heauie displeasure against Scaurus Not so much as women but were partakers of danger and if not attainted for attempting to aspire to the Empire yet brought in question for their teares and Vitia an old woman Fusius Geminus mother was put to death bicause she bewailed the death of her sonne These things were done in Senat. And where the Prince was the like was practised Vescularius Atticus and Iulius Marinus two of his most familiar friends which accompanied him to Rhodes and at Capreas neuer departed from him were put to death Vescularius was the Messenger to and fro when the treacherie was wrought against Libo Marinus was of Seianus counsell when he put Curtius Atticus to death most men being glad to see them taken in the snare they laid for others About the same time L. Piso high Priest died a naturall death which was a rare matter in those times in a man of so great nobilitie He neuer of himselfe propounded any matter which smelled of flatterie or base minds if he were forced thereto he vsed great moderation in doing it His father as I haue alreadie saide had beene Censor he liued to the age of fowerscore hauing in Thrace deserued the triumphall ornaments But his greatest credit rose in that that being newly created Prouost of the citie he did gouerne exceeding moderately all the time of his continuall rule irkesome through vnwontednes of obedience For in times past when the Kings or Consuls went out of the citie least she should be left without gouernment there was one chosen for a time able to giue euery man right prouide for all sudden accidents And it is said that Dentres Romulius had the same charge giuen him by Romulus after that Numa Marcius by Tullus Hostilius and Spurius Lucretius by Tarquinius Superbus Then that the Consuls had the charge of committing this office and a shadow of it continueth vnto this day as oft as the Latine feasts are folemnised one is appointed ouer the rest to exercise the roome of a Consull But Augustus in the time of ciuill warres made Cilnius Maecenas a gentleman Prouost ouer Rome and all Italie Then being Lord and Master of the Empire by reason of the greatnes of the people and slow aide which the lawes affoorded he chose out one of such as had been Consuls to bridle the bondmen and such citizens as through audaciousnes would grow troublesome vnlesse they stood in awe The first that receiued that authoritie but kept it but awhile was Messalla Coruinus as vnable to discharge it Then Taurus Statilus although he were verie aged went through it with great commendation After that Piso was well liked for the space of twentie yeeres and by order of the Senat honoured with publick funerals It was afterward propounded before the Lords of the Senat by Quinctilianus Tribune of the people concerning the Sibyls booke which Caninius Gallus one of the fifteene requested might be receiued among other books of the same prophetesse and demanded it might be so established by decree of Senat which being giuen by common consent Caesar sent letters somewhat reprehending the Tribune as ignorant of the old custome by reason of his youth and vpbraided Gallus that being old and practised in the science and ceremonies neuertheles had demanded the opinion of the Senators not fully assembled the author being vncertain and before the colledge had yeelded their iudgment neither as the custome was the verses hauing been read and waighed by the maisters Withall he aduertised them because that many vaine things were published vnder the name of famous men that Augustus had vnder penaltie set downe a day within which such bookes should be brought to the citie-Pretor and that it was not lawfull for any to haue them in their priuat possession The like decree was established by our predecessors also and after that the Capitol was burnt in the ciuill war their verses were sought in Samum in Ilium Erythrum through Affrike also Sicily and the colonies of Italie whether they were one or many the busines being committed to the Priests to distinguish the true prophecies from the false as neere as might be by the iudgement of man And then also the booke was referred to the examination of the fifteene When the same men were Consuls through a dearth of corne and other prouisions they grew almost to a commotion and many things for many dayes together were in the Theater more licentiously demaunded with great eagernes then the manner had beene to demaund things of the Emperour Whereat being moued he
his age He was Neroes sonne and on both sides extracted frō the Claudian familie although his mother went by adoption into the Liuian familie and after that into the Iulian. He had doubtfull fortunes from his first infancie for being a banished man he followed his father who was proscribed and being brought into Augustus house as his son in law was greatly maligned al the time that Marcellus and Agrippa and afterward Caius Lucius Caesar liued Yea his brother Drusus was better beloued then he of the citizens but after he had married Iulia his slipperie estate was tied to two great inconueniences which was either to indure the incontinencie of his wife or go from her After that returning from Rhodes he liued twelue yeeres in the Princes house which had no children then possessed the Empire almost 23. yeeres He changed his manners diuersly according to the times Whilest he was a priuat man he was of good life and credite and had commendations vnder Augustus He was close and craftie in counterfeiting vertues whilest Germanicus and Drusus liued and whilest his mother liued he kept a meane somtimes good and somtimes bad For crueltie he was infamous but in lasciuious lusts as long as he loued or feared Seianus secret In the end he burst into all wickednes dishonestie and reproch after that hauing cast away shame and feare he gouerned himselfe wholy according vnto his owne disposition and nature THE ELEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS I. The death of Asiaticus and Poppaea * The beginning of this Booke is wanting FOr he beleeued that Valerius Asiaticus who had beene twise Consull had in times past committed adultery with Poppaea withall greedily gaped after those gardens which he bought of Lucullus and beawtified and trimmed most stately Suilius was suborned to accuse them both Sosibius Germanicus bringer vp was ioyned with him who vnder colour of friendship counselleth Claudius to beware of such as were strong and rich as men dangerous vnto the state and that Asiaticus the principall author of murdering Caesar feared not to auouch it in a full assemblie of the people of Rome and challenge the glory of the fact vnto himselfe He was famous in the citie for it and a rumor spread throughout the prouince that he prepared a voyage toward Germanicus armie because that being borne at Vienna and strengthened with strong and great kindred he thought it an easie matter to stirre vp his countrey men But Claudius making no farther enquirie sent Crispinus the captaine of the gard with a band of readie souldiers as though it had bene to suppresse a warre who finding him at Baias layd yrons vpon him and drew him to the citie where he was not licensed to be heard of the Senate but in the Emperours chamber in the presence of Messallina There Suilius accused him that he had corrupted the souldiers and wonne them by money and loose life to all wickednes Then charged him with adultery with Poppaea and vnnaturall dishonestie of bodie At that although he were commaunded to silence he burst forth and sayd O Suilius aske thy children and they will confesse me to be a man And entering into his defence Claudius being wonderfully moued drew teares likewise from Messallinaes eyes who going out of the chamber to wipe them giueth Vitellius warning not to suffer the partie arraigned to escape She maketh haste to ouerthrow Poppaea sending some through the terror of prison to perswade her to kill her selfe Caesar being so ignorant therof that a few dayes after he asked her husband Scipio as he sate at table with him why he had sate downe without his wife who made him answere that she was dead But whilest Claudius consulted of Asiaticus deliuerance Vitellius with teares declaring how long time their friendship had continued and how they two did reuerence honor Antonia the Princes mother then running ouer briefely his seruices towards the common wealth and that so lately done in Britannia and what else might seeme to moue compassion left it in the end to his owne choise what death he would choose Claudius yeelding him the like clemencie with like words After this some perswading him that to die with famine and abstinence was an easie death he answered that he reiected such fauour and therefore hauing done those exercises he was vsually wont to do washed his body and fed daintily saying that it had bene a more commendable death to haue died by Tiberius slienes and cunning or C. Caesars violence then now by the treachery of a woman and Vitellius vncleane mouth cut his vaines and hauing first seene the fire wherein his bodie was to be burned commaunded it to be remoued to another place least the thick tuffed trees should be marred with the smoke so small reckoning did he make of death II. Certaine Romaines accused for a dreame A treatise of aduocates AFter this the Lords of the Senate were called together and Suilius goeth on and accuseth certaine noble and renowned gentlemen of Rome surnamed Petra The cause of their death was because they had lent their house vnto Mnester and Poppaea when they had any cause of conference But there was a dreame also obiected against one of them which was that he dreamed he had seene Claudius crowned with a crowne of eares of corne and the eares turned backwards interpreting that vision to signifie a dearth of corne Some report it to haue beene a garlande of vine braunches with white leaues which he sawe in his dreame and interpreted it to foretell that the death of the Prince shoulde follow at the end of Autumne Whatsoeuer the dreame was it is not to be doubted but that he and his brother were both put to death Crispinus had giuen him by decree of Senate fifteen hundred thousand sesterces and ornaments of the Pretor Vitellius added ten hundred thousand sesterces to be giuen to Sosibius bicause he had beene Britannicus Schoole-master and Claudius Counseller Scipio being demanded his opinion said Seeing I do thinke of Popaeus faults that which all you do thinke perswade your selues that I do say that which all you do say which was an excellent moderation and mean shewing the loue he bare hir as his wife and necessitie of giuing sentence being a Senator Suilius neuer ceased from accusations but prosecuted them with al crueltie and many followed his audacity for the Prince drawing vnto himselfe all the duties of lawes and magistrates opened the way to robberie Neither was there any marchandise more publikely bought and solde then the perfidiousnes of aduocates insomuch that Samius a woorthy gentelman of Rome hauing giuen Suilius fowre hundred thousand sesterces to pleade his cause and after perceiuing his preuarication and collusion ran vpon his sword in Suilius owne house Then C. Silius Consull elect of whose authoritie and fall I will speake in conuenient time beginning to speake the rest of the Senators rose vp and demanded earnestly that the lawe Cincia might be set
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
bondmen L. Varius somtimes Consull was restored to his dignitie remoued before for couetous dealing and extortion And Pomponia Graecina a noble woman and wife to Plautius who returned with a small triumph out of Britannia and accused of strange superstition was remitted to the iudgement of her husband and he according to the auncient custome in the presence of her neerest kindred heard her cause of life and death and pronounced her innocent This Pomponia liued long and in continuall sorrow for after that Iulia Drusus daughter was murdered by Messallinaes trecherie she was not seene for forty yeers but in mourning apparel and very sad doleful Which she might lawfully do whilest Claudius raigned afterward turned to her glory Many citizens were accused that yeere of which number P Celer being one at the information of the inhabitants of Asia because Caesar could not acquit him he prolonged his cause till he died of age For Celer as I haue alreadie sayd hauing besturred himselfe in the murdering of Silanus the Proconsull cloaked all other villanies vnder the greatnes of that lewd action The Cilicians accused Cossutianus Capito criminally noted and discredited with many vices thinking he had had the same priuilege of vsing insolent behauiour in the prouince as he had done in the citie But turmoiled and molested with an ouerthwart accusation in the end letting fall his defence was condemned of extorsion Great suings preuailed so much for Eprius Marcellus of whom the Lycians demaunded restitution that some of the accusers were banished as though they had indangered an innocent man VIII A liberalitie of Nero towards certaine decaied gentlemen The warre of Armenia renewed Tiridates departeth the countrey WHen Nero was the third time Consull Valerius Messalla entered the same office whose great grandfather Coruinus an orator some old men remember to haue beene companion in office with Augustus of famous memorie Neroes great grandfathers father But the honor of this noble familie was bettered by giuing Messalla by yeare fiue hundred thousand sesterces to relieue his harmelesse pouertie To Aurelius Cotta likewise and Haterius Antoninus the Prince graunted that an annuall sum of money should be giuen although they had wasted riotously the wealth their ancestors had left them In the beginning of that yeere the warre which was drawne at length with soft and milde beginnings vntill then betweene the Parthians and the Romans for obtaining of Armenia was nowe hotly pursued because Vologeses would neither suffer his brother Tiridates to be depriued of the kingdome in which he had inuested him nor that he should enioy it as a gift from another Lord and Corbulo thought it woorthie of the greatnes of the people of Rome to recouer that which by Lucullus and Pompey had beene once gotten The Armenians being doubtfull and faithfull to neither side inuited both yet by the site of their countrey and conformitie of conditions being more neere vnto the Parthians and intermingled with them by mariages and not knowing what libertie was inclined rather to that seruitude But Corbulo had more adoe with the slothfulnes of the souldiers then perfidiousnes of the enimies for the legions remoued from Syria by a long peace grown lazie and idle could hardly endure the labor and paines of the Roman discipline Certaine it was there were old souldiers in that campe which had neuer kept watch nor ward a rampire or trench they gazed at as at a new and strange deuise without head-peeces without curasses neate and fine hunting after gaine hauing spent all their seruice in townes Whereupon the olde and feeble being dismissed he desired a supplie which was had out of Galatia and Cappadocia And to them was added a legion out of Germanie with wings of horsemen and all the armie kept in campe although the winter were so hard and the earth so couered with yce that they could not pitch their tents vnlesse they had first digged the ground Manie of their limmes grew starcke with extremitie of cold and many died in keeping the watch And there was a souldier noted carriyng a faggot whose hands were so stiffe frozen that sticking to his burden they fell from him as though they had beene cut from his armes Corbulo slightly apparailed bare headed was with them when they marched when they laboured praised the stout comforted the feeble and gaue example vnto them all Then bicause many refusing to endure the hardnes of the season such rigor of discipline forsooke him he sought a redresse by seueritie for he did not pardon the first and second fault as in other armies but he suffered death presently who forsooke his ensigne which by experience proued more profitable then clemencie For fewer forsooke that campe then where there was much mercie shewen In the meane season Corbulo hauing kept the legions in campe vntill the spring and disposed the aydcohorts in conuenient places charged them not to giue the onset The charge of the garrisons he committed to Pactius Ophitus once Captaine of the first ensigne who although he wrote to Corbulo that the Barbarians were carelesse and disordered and a fit occasion offered of atchieuing some exploite yet he was commaunded to keepe within his garrison and expect greater power But breaking his commandement when he saw a few troupes of horsemen issue out of a castle hard by and vnskilfully demaund battell he encountered the enimie and went away with the losse And those which should haue seconded them terrified with that discomfiture fled as fast as they could euerie man to his hold which to Corbulo was an exceeding griefe Who rebuking Pactius and the Captaines and the souldiers commaunded them all to pitch their tents out of the campe and there kept them in that disgrace vntil they were deliuered by the intercession sute of the whole armie But Tiridates besides his own followers succoured by his brother Vologeses not now by stelth but with open warre molesteth Armenia spoiling all such he thought faithfull to vs and if any forces were brought against him he deluded them by flying hither and thither terrifiyng more by fame then fight Corbulo therefore seeking occasion to ioyne battell but in vaine and constrained to make war now in one place now in another as the enimy did seuered his forces to the end that the Lieutenants Captaines might inuade diuers places at once Withall he aduertised King Antiochus to set on the gouernment next adioyning to him For Pharasmanes his sonne Rhadamistus being slaine as a traitor towardes him to testifie his loyaltie towards vs shewed more willingly his inueterate hatred against the Armenians Then the Isichians a nation neuer before confederate with vs being nowe brought to our side inuaded the hardest passages of Armenia whereby all Tiridates deseignments were crossed He sent Embassadors to expostulate in his owne and the Parthians name Why hauing of late giuen hostages and renewed amitie which opened the way to new benefites he should be driuen from the auncient possession of Armenia therefore