Suetonius seemes to be of a contrary opinion for he saith That he was much ashamed of her and that once he thought to put her to death And when a freed woman of his named Phoebe one that was privy to Julia's lewdnesse knit her own neck in a halter and so ended her daies he gave it out That he wisht with all his heart he had been Phoeb'es Father Out of great indignation against his two Daughters and Posthumus Agrippa his Grand-child whereof the first two were infamous and the last otherwise unworthy he would say that they were not his seed but some impostume broken from him and he used this verse of them O utinam aut coelebs mansissem aut prole carerē He was almost peerelesse in his Government yet there are to be found so many misfortunes in his life that a man cannot easily discern whether he was more miserable or more happy Bonam mortem putabat celerem insperatam quae nulla aegritudine pulsaret fores So often as he heard of a man that had a quick passage with little sence of grief he wished for himself and his such Euthanasy such an easie death He being at the point to dye thus addressed himself called for his looking-glasse commanded to have his hair and beard combed Et malas labentes corrigi his riveled cheeks smoothed up then asking his friends if he had acted his part well Cum it a responderint vos omnes igitur inquit Plaudite Aulus Gellius mentioneth that he sent a letter unto his step-son to this effect Rejoyce with me my Son for I have past over that deadly year and enemy to old age threescore and three in which number the sevenths and ninths do concur He lived fifteen yeers after Christ was born and dyed in his 76. year He was beloved of his people for they erected a statue to Musas the Physitian who in a sicknesse recovered him and placed it by Aesculapius and the Senate much honoured him being dead by consecrating Temples to him at Rome and in other famous Cities and all the people much lamented his death using that speech Vtinam aut non nasceretur aut non moreretur would he had never been born or never dyed Paterculus said of the Roman Empire after Augustus death when there was such hope of enemies feare of friends expectation of trouble in all Tanta fuit unius viri Majestas ut nec bonis neque contra malos opus armis foret◠such was the Majesty of one man that his very presence tooke away all use of Armes Choyce Observations OF TIBERIUS CAESAR LIVIA his Mother whiles she went with child of him among many and sundry experiments which she made and signes that she observed and all to know whether she should bring forth a man-child or no took closely an Egge from under a Henne that was sitting and kept it warm sometime in her own otherwhiles in her womans hands by turns one after another so long untill there was hatched a Cock-chicken with a notable combe upon the head And when he was but a very babe Scribonius the Astrologer gave out and warranted great matters of him and namely that he should one day reigne as Monarch but yet without the Royall Ensignes for as yet the Soveraigne power of the Caesars was unknown He was of Personage tall corpulent big set and strong of stature above the ordinary broad between the shoulders and large breasted fair of complexion great goggle-eyed whereby he saw so clearly as is incredible to report He used both hands alike his joynts were so firm that with his finger he was able to boar through a green and sound table with a fillop also to break the head of a good big boy his speech was exceeding slow not without a certain wanton gesticulation and fumbling with his fingers He refused the Empire a long time putting on a most impudent and shamelesse mind and seeming to rebuke his friends encouraging him thereto as those who knew not what a monstrous and untamed beast an Empire was He also held the Senate in suspence by ambiguous answers and crafty delayes when they besought him to take it upon him yea and humbly debased themselves before his knees insomuch as some of them could endure him no longer and one among the rest in that tumult cryed out aloud Let him either doe it at once or else give over quite and another openly to his face upbraided him in these words Caeteri quod pollicentur tardè praestant tu quod praestas tardè polliceris Whereas other men be slack in doing and performing that which they have promised thou art slack in promising that which thou performest In the end as if he had been compelled and complaining withall that there was imposed upon his shoulders a miserable and burdensome servitude he took the Empire upon him The cause of this holding off and delay that he made was the fear of imminent dangers on every side in so much as he would often say Lupum se auribus tenere he held a Wolf by the ears Hee knowing excellently well how to conceal his own private passions made himself be known to be an excellent Doctor in the cunning Art of discovering other mens thoughts by which he may be said to set the roof over the Roman Monarchy Advertisements from Parnassus by Bocalini Century 2. Advertis 33. See more there He was very patient when any bad rumours or slanderous Libels were cast out either of himself or those about him and was wont to say how wisely I determine not In civitate libera linguam mentemque liberas esse debere That in a free State men ought to have both tongue and thought free He taxed the indiscretion of the Ilienses comforting him long after the death of his Son with this answer That he also was very sorry for them because they had lost that worthy Citizen Hector one dead many hundred years before He was mild and gracious at the first and seemed to be enclined to the good of the Common-wealth when the Presidents and Governours abroad gave him counsell to burthen the Provinces with heavie Tributes and Taxes he wrote back unto them Boni Pastoris est tondere pecus non deglubere That it was the part of a good shepheard to shear his sheep and not to flea them He held it good policy not to change his Officers often lest new ones succeeding should oppresse the people too much whereas the old having meanes to enrich themselves would not so fleece them in the latter end as at the beginning making hast to do it lest they were removed before they could feather their nests well See Montagues Acts and Monum of the Church c. 5. p. 37. That by his own Example he might put forward the publick frugality he himself at his solemn and festivall suppers caused oftentimes to be
through his insatiable desire of blood would with his tongue suck and lick of the blood that stuck upon the sword or dagger Videtur Natura edidisse saith Seneca ut ostenderet quid summa vitia in summa fortuna possent Nature seemed to have brought him forth to shew what effects the greatest vices joyned with the greatest fortune could produce And it may justly be verified of his times what Senecca saith in another place Res humanas sub illo in eum statum decidisse ut inter misericordiae opera haberetur occidi Under him things were brought to that passe as it was reckoned amongst the workes of mercy to be slain De quo nescio an decuerit memoriae prodi nisi sorte quia juvat de Principibus nosse omnia ut improbi saltem famae metu talia declinent Concerning whom saith Aurel. Victor I know not whether it shall be meet to have recorded any thing but that peradventure it is expedient to know all things of Princes that wicked men at least with fear of the report may decline such things He was very expert in the Greek and vulgar Roman Tongues He was also of a fluent speech and if he had been to plead and declaime against one when he was angry once he had both words and sentences at will when he was about to make an Oration his manner was to threaten in these termes viz. That he would draw forth and let drive at his adversary the keen weapon and dart of his night-study by Candle-light He would have removed the writings of Virgi◠and Livie out of all Libraries he said Virgil was a man of no wit and very mean learning and taxed Livie of verbosity and negligence in penning his History He said Seneca's works were Arena sine calce Sand without Lime because he often spoke short Sentences having no connexion amongst themselves Nepotinis sumptibus omnium prodigorum ingenia superavit In riotous and wastfull expences he exceeded the wits and inventions of all the prodigall spend-thrifts that ever were inventing most monstrous kinds of meats and making sumptuous Feasts He would drink off most precious and costly Pearls dissolved in Vinegar Luxus fuit portentosi ut qui etiam panes deauratos habuerit He spent in one year two Millions and 700000. of Sestertiums He would set before his Guests loaves of Bread and other viands all of Gold saying commonly withall Aut frugi hominem esse oportere aut Caesarem That a man must either be frugall or else Caesar. He held the wills of great men as void and of no effect in case any person would come forth and say That they purposed and intended at their death to make Caesar their Heir he declared also by an Edict that he would receive new-New-yeares gifts and so he stood the first day of Ianuary in the entrie of his house ready to take what pieces of money soever came which the multitude of all sects and degrees with full hands and bosomes powred out before him nay he took such delight in handling of mony that oftentimes he would both walk bare-footed up and down yea and wallow also a good while with his whole body upon huge heapes of coyned pieces of gold spread here and there in a most large open place There were in his secret Cabinet found two Bookes bearing divers titles The one had for the inscription Gladius the Sword the other Pugio i. e. the Dagger or Rapier They contained both of them the markes and names of such as were appointed unto death There was found beside a big chest full of divers and sundry poisons which soon after being by Claudius drowned in the Sea infected and poisoned the same and many Fishes were killed therewith which the Tide cast into the next shores He set light by the gods and threatned the Aire if it rained upon his Game-players Quanta dementia fuit putavit aut sibi noceri ne a Iove quidem posse aut se nocere Iovi posse Senec. de Ira. lib. 1. cap. 16. How great madnesse was it to think that either Iupiter could not hurt him or that himself could hurt Jupiter Yet notwithstanding at the least thunder and lightning he used to wink close with both eyes to enwrap also and cover his whole head but if the same were greater and somewhat extraordinary he would start out of his Bed and hide himself under the Bed-sted Dion reporteth of two that when the Emperour was sick thinking to get much as a reward for their great love to the Emperour vowed that on condition he might live they themselves would dye to excuse him he recovering afterward took them at their word and put them to death least they should break their vow and prove perjured persons Having recalled one from exile which had been long banished he demanded of him What he was wont to do there Who made answer thus by way of flattery I prayed quoth he to the gods alwayes that Tiberius as now it is come to passe might perish and you become Emperour Hereupon Caligula thinking that those whom he had banished prayed likewise for his death sent about into the Islands to kill them every one Sueton. In taking the review of Goales and Prisoners therein as they were sorted to their offences he without once looking upon the title and cause of their imprisonment standing onely within a Gallery commanded that all in the midst à calvo ad calvunt that is from one bald pate to another should be led forth to execution Sueton. He was murthered at last himself who had put so many to death He lived 29. years saith Suetonius 39. Eutropius He reigned three years ten moneths and eight dayes say Suetonius and Eutropius four years say Clemens Tacitus and Sextus Aurel. four years ten moneths and eight dayes saith Beda three years nine moneths 28. dayes saith Dion three years eight moneths and thirteen dayes saith Tertullian three years six moneths Iosephus three years nine moneths 22. dayes saith Epiphanius but the whole time of his reigne was three yeares ten moneths and eight dayes They which give to him full four yeares count the odde moneths and dayes for a whole year Valerius Asiaticus who had been Consul came forth among the people who were in an uproar because of the rumours of the Emperours death supposing it a strange matter that no man knew who had slain the Emperour whilst every one enquired who it was that had done the deed O said he would it had been I that had done it His death concerned the security of the Lawes and the safety of all men and had he not been speedily cut off Our Nation saith Iosephus almost had been utterly exterminated His monies were all melted by the decree of the Senate as King Richard the thirds Cognizance the white Bore was torn from every signe that his Monument might perish Speed Choyce
and which made him extremely ridiculous he put on also purple Amazonian robes embroydered with gold expressing in one and the same garb austerity and effeminateness this was his daily attire He commanded many Statues of himself made in likeness of Hercules to be erected throughout the City and one before the Senate-house in form of an archer ready to shoot that his very Images might strike a terror into the beholdèrs Herodian He ranged so far in a mad humour as that he purposed to forsake his palace and live in a fence-school and now being weary of the name of Hercules he assumed the name of a famous sword-player deceased On New-yeares day he determined in great solemnity to issue forth of a senceschool from which Marcia Laetus and Electus disswaded him but he incensed with them commanded them to depart and retiring into his bed-chamber to repose himself at noon as he was wont he wrote their names in a table-book dooming them to death that night Having done this he laid his table-book on the pailet not imagining that any would enter into his chamber But his darling Philo-Commodus being full of play went as he usually did into the bed-chamber while Commodus was bathing and taking the book to play with went forth and was met by Marcia who took the book from him lest he might spoil some weighty matter As soon as she perceived it was Commodus his own hand she greatly desired to read it But when she found the deadly contents she discovered to Electus and Laetus the danger they were in and they all resolved to purchase their own security by Commodus his death and concluded it most convenient to dispatch him by poyson which Marcia having given to him it cast him into a slumber out of which awaking he vomited extremely the conspirators fearing fulnesse might expell the poyson cause him to be strangled He lived 31. yeares 4. moneths and reigned 12. yeares 9. moneths and 14. dayes In him the Aelian together with the Aurelian family was extinguished as the Iulian in Nero. Tristan How joyfull his death was both to Senate and people their assemblies in the Temples to give thanks for their deliverance and their execrations pronounced against him at large reported by Lampridius do manifest He was called the enemy of God and men the very name of the Devil The Christians escaped persecution from him by the mediation of Marcia who favoured their doctrine Dion Of all Emperours until Constantine he was most favourable unto Christians whatsoever he was otherwise Mountague's Acts and Monuments of the Church c. 7. paragr 115. In respect of much persecution before those times were called Halcyonia sub Commodo Ecclesiae Lloid's consent of time p. 599. Commodus insequitur pugnis maculosus arenae Threicio princeps bella movens gladio Eliso tandem persolvens gutture poenas Criminibus fassus matris adulterium Ausonius Choyce Observations OF PERTINAX WAS so called either for his reluctance in accepting the Empire or rather for his pertinacious resolution in his youth to be a Woodmonger as his father was when he would have made him a Scholar Yet at last he was perswaded by his father to apply himself to learning in which he was such a proficient that he succeeded his Master Sulpitius Apollinaris in the teaching of Grammer But gaining little thereby he served in the camp with such proof of his valour that upon the death of Commodus he was chosen Emperour For the murther being done in the night Laetus went in all hast to Pertinax and saluted him with the unexpected name of Emperour but he thought Laetus was sent from Commodus to kill him till he was certified of Commodus his death by one of his servants whom he sent to view his carkase So different was the opinion of all men concerning Pertinax and Commodus that many hearing of Commodus his death thought the report was raised by himself to try mens inclinations wherefore many Governours of Provinces imprisoned those who related it not because they would not have had the news to be true but for that they thought it more dangerous to believe the death of Commodus then not to come in to Pertinax by whom every one was confident that they should be easily pardoned whereas with Commodus innocence gave no security Excerpta Petresci p. 728. Pertinax was forced to accept of the Empire by Laetus and Electus when he was above 60. yeares old yet admitted not any symbole of sovereignty and declined so envious a Title till compelled by the Senate Recusabat imperare quod erat bene imperaturi Plinius de Trajano panegyr 5. He chiefly reâ—used the Empire because he was to succeed a Tyrant who by his disorders had so impoverisht the State and rendred the souldiers so loose that he saw 't was impossible to avoid a publik odium by the use of a necessary remedy Tristan He would not let his wife receive the title of Empresse nor his son be called Caesar as the Senate had decreed lest he should be corrupted but deferred it till he might deserve it nor admitting him being a youth into the Court but causing him to lead a private life He permitted not his Name to be stamped on the peculiar goods of the Emperours saying That the propriety thereof belonged to the State in generall Herodian l. 2. c. 4. As Marcus Aurelius whom he imitated said to the Senate Nos usque adeo nihil habemus proprium ut etiam vestras aedes habitemus Xiphilinus in Marco Aurelio He enacted that all the wast ground in Italy and other countries though of the Princes demesne should be improved and freely given to them who would manure it to which purpose he granted to Husband-men 10. yeares immunity from all taxes and security from all further trouble during his reigne Herodian He banisht informers preserved the commoners from the injury of souldiers and released all Imposts exacted by Tyrants Id. He never could be induced to revenge an injury S. A. Victoris Epitome He was too negligent of his wife Flavia Titiana's chastity who openly loved a fidler he in the mean time being as ardently and infamously enamoured on his Concubine Cornificia Capitolinus c. 13. He was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a giver of good words because he was rather a Fawning than a kind Prince promising well but performing ill Such was his niggardliness that he would set before his guests a Sallad of Lettuce c. and part of a Tripe but if he at any time exceeded a leg or wing of a Hen. Capitolinus c. 12. Tristan parallelleth him with Vespasian His strict discipline and short donatives displeased the souldiers who conspired against him and elected Falco Emperour whom the Senate sentenced but Pertinax cryed out God forbid that during my reigne any Senatour be put to death though deservedly Xiphiline Laetus pretending to punish this sedition causeth the death of divers souldiers that the rest might mutiny which they did 200.
the Romans he was consecrated for God before the Senate of Rome had so declared and approved him whose folly Tertullian thus scoffeth Apud vos de humano arbitrio divinitas pensitatur nisi homini Deus placuerit non erit Deus homo jam Deo propitius esse debet That God should be God if man would let him Josephus a Jew and an enemy to Christ in his 8. Book of Antiquities c. 4. speakes the same things of Christ that Matthew doth that he was a most worthy man if it be lawfull to call him a man said he that he wrought many Miracles and that he rose from the dead Tacitus and Suetonins speak of his Miracles Tacitus l. 15. Annal. c. 10. affirmes that he was Crucified under Pilate in the time of Tiberius and that Tiberius would have put him in the number of his gods Plutarch De interitu Orac. reports that under the Reigne of Tiberius all the Oracles of the world ceased of which the Poets bear witnesse cessant oracula Delphis Iuv. Sat. 6. Plutarch also in the same book reports that in the later yeares of the reigne of Tiberius a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamours with hideous cries screetches and howlings were heard by many in the Grecian Sea complaining that the great god Pau was now departed And this was brought before the Emperour who marvelled greatly thereat and could not by all his Diviners and Soothsayers whom he called to that consultation be able to gather out any reasonable meaning of this wonderfull accident but Christians may perswade themselves that by the death of their great god Pan which signifies all was imported the utter overthrow of all wicked spirits John 12. 31. Our Lord was Crucified in the 15. year of his reigne say Tertullian and Lactantius But Luke the Evangelist 3. c. 1. v. maketh his Baptisme to fall in the 15. year of Tiberius his reigne So then his Passion must be in the 18. or 19. for three yeares he preached salvation Jerome and Eusebius The fear of losing his Office under Tiberius Caesar whose Deputy he was over the Province of Judaea made Pilate condemn Christ John 19. 12. 13. but not long after he lost his Deputy-ship and Caesars favour and fled to Vienna where living in banishment he killed himself Euseb. Hist. l. 2. c. 7. Matth. 22. 21. Our Saviour saith Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars The money declared the subjection of their Nation as if he should have said If you think it absurd to pay Tribute be not subject to the Roman Empire but the money declareth that Caesar reigneth over you and your own secret allowance declareth that the liberty which you pretend is lost and taken away Ierome on the place doth well observe that the name of Caesar is not proper but Appellative because from the first Emperour Iulius Caesar all the rest were so called Yet saith Gerhard in his Harmony Christ properly understands Tiberius who then ruled whose Image the money did bear to that wicked Emperour Tribute was due so that charge 1 Tim. 2. 2. was given by Paul even then when Caesar was a persecutor of the Christian Religion Austin tells us He that gave Soveraignty to Augustus gave it also to Nero he that gave it to the Vespatians Father and Son sweetest Emperours gave it also to Domitian that bloody monster De civit Dei l. 5. c. 21. Tiberius approved of the Christians Opinions and threatned Death to them which accused them This came to passe saith Eusebius by Divine providence that the Doctrine of the Gospel having no rubbe at the first might run over the whole world Dion writes that â—a Phoenix was seen before the last year of Tiberius which bird is an Embleme of the Resurrection and signifieth that at that time Christ rose from the dead and that the Gospel was then spread abroad which affirmeth that the Dead shall rise again Charion Chron. He dyed in the 78. year of his age say Suetonius Tacitus and Aurel. Vict. 83. saith Eutropius It was thought he was poysoned He raigned 23. yeares say Eutropius Suetonius Orosius 24. saith Aurel. Vict. 22. yeares 7. moneths and 20. dayes Tertull. 22. yeares Clem. Alexand. 22. yeares 7. moneths and so many dayes saith Dion 22. yeares and six moneths Ioseâ—hus He raigned 22. yeares and 7. moneths but the reason of the different computation why some give unto him but 22. years some 24. some but 23. is because some count onely the full yeares some the moneths of his first and last year for whole yeares some put the odde moneths together and make one year of them He raigned after our Saviours Passion 4. years 11. moneths and 18. dayes The people joyed so much at his death that running up and down at the first tidings thereof some cryed out in this note Tiberium in Tiberim Let Tiberius be cast into Tiber some offered sacrifices when they heard of it and one meeting with his Master in some publick place told him in the Hebrew Tongue The Lion was dead Choyce Observations OF CAIVS CALIGVLA SOme say this name of Caligula was given him for a certain kind of shooe called Caliga used among men of warre and worn by him or he got it by occasion of a merry word taken up in the Camp because he was brought up there in the habit of an ordinary and common souldier among the rest Cajus cognomen Caligae cui castra dederunt Ausonius He carried himself well before he was Emperour so that it was said of him Nec servum meliorem ullum nec deteriorem Dominum fuisse There was never a better servant and a worse Master He was very tali of stature pale and wan-coloured of body somewhat grosse and unfashionable his eyes sunk in his head and his Temples were hollow his fore-head was broad the hair of his head grew thin in all parts else he was hairy and shagged and therefore it was a capitall offence either to look upon him as he passed by from an higher place or once but to name a Goat upon any occasion whatsoever His face and visage being naturally stern and grim he made of purpose more crabbed and hideous composing and dressing it in a looking-glasse all manner of waies to seem more terrible and to strike greater fear Being clad oftentimes with a cloake of needle-work and embroidered with divers colours and the same set out with precious stones in a coat also with long sleeves and wearing bracelets withall he would come abroad into the City On a time esteeming it a thing correspondent to his greatnesse who was Emperor to exact that superiority on the Sea which was answerable to his Soveraignty on the Land being to crosse the Sea between Puteoli a City in Campania and Misenum another maritime town he caused a Bridge to be built betwixt one Cape of the Sea unto another for the space of three miles and more
was his prisoner twice he was set at liberty after his first imprisonment at Rome Phil. 1. 25. Philem. 22. Heb. 13. 23. 2 Tim. 4. 16. 17. The reason is thus alledged by Eusebius Neronem in principio Imperii mitiorem fuisse That Nero in the beginning of his Empire was more gentle and mild but afterward when Paul was taken again Nero then being become a most cruell Tyrant caused him to be put to death He dyed in the 14. year of Nero's reigne and the 37. year after the Passion of Christ. Seneca disswaded him from killing some with this speech licet saith he quà m plurimos occidas tamen non potes successorem tuum occidere Xiphiline Although thou killest very many yet thou canst not kill thy Successor The Tyrannous rage of this Emperour was so fierce against the Christians as Eusebius reporteth usque adeò ut videret repletas humanis corporibus civitates jacentes mortuos simul cum parvulis senes faeminarumque absque ulla sexus reverentia in publico rejecta starent cadavera i. e. Insomuch that a man might then see Cities lye full of mens bodies the old lying there with the young and the dead bodies of women cast out naked without all reverence of that Sex in the open streets In this persecution also James the greater and the lesse Philip Bartholomew Barnabas Mark suffered Christians were covered in wild beasts skins and torn in pieces with Dogs or fastned on crosses or burnt in fire and when the day failed they were burnt in the night to make them serve as torches to give light They put a pitched coat upon the Christians to make them burn the better called Tunica molesta a troublesome coat Sulpitius Severus observes this of Nero in the 3. book of his History that it was his own bad life which made him hate Christians for he still thought they censured him and could not but expect what they knew he deserved He caused Rome to be set on fire in twelve places together that he might the better conceive the flames of Troy singing unto it Homer's verses and being a pleasant Spectator thereof as at a Feu-de-joy Ad levandam sceleris atrocitatem saith Polyd. Virgil to avoyd the infamy thereof he laid the fault on the innocent and suborned some falsly to accuse the Christians as Authors of that fire whereupon hee put many of them to death but Tacitus will clear them who yet was their enemy Non perinde saith hee crimine incendii quà m odio humani generis convicti sunt Suetonius being no Christian calleth the Christians men of new and pernicious superstition Afflâ—cti suppliciis Christiani saith he genus hominum superstitionis novae malesicae Under Nero to do ill was not alwaies safe alwaies unsafe to do well He was so hatefull an adversary to all righteousnesse that Eusebius following the example and words of Tertullian affirmeth that if the Gospel had not been an excellent thing it had not been condemned by Nero. He was as Augustine witnesseth commonly reputed Antichrist He came into the world an Agrippa or born with his feet forward and turn'd the world upside down before he went out of it In him alone all the corruptions which had been ingendred in Rome from the birth of Rome till his own daies seemed drawn together into one impostume or boyl When one in common talk upon a time chanced to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When vitall breath is fled from me Let earth with fire mingled be Nay rather quoth hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiles vitall spirit remaines in me He had a desire though it were foolish and inconsiderate of eternity and perpetuall fame and therefore abolishing the old names of many things and places he did put upon them new after his own He called the Moneth April Neroneus he meant also to have named Rome Neropolis Nero's City He pronounced an oration composed by Seneca It was observed that he was the first Emperour that needed another mans Eloquence for Julius Caesar was equall with the famous Orators and Augustus had a ready fluent and eloquent speech such as well became a Prince Tiberius had great skill in weighing his words yea Caligula's troubled mind hindered not his eloquence neither wanted Claudius elegancy when he had premeditated The study of Nero was Versification which Tacitus thinks he borrowed having no gift therein at all but Suetonius who often doth disagree with Tacitus though unnamed both proves he had and proves it well It was one of his exercises to translate Greek Tragedies into Latine who made true Tragedies in blood such as even the Greekes never feigned Nothing netled him more then when he was blamed by Vindex for an unskilfull Musician he said of himself a little before his death Qualis Artifex pereo What an excellent Artisan do I dye meaning of his skill in playing of Tragedies as indeed his whole life and death was all but one Tragedy Vespasian asked Apollonius what was Nero's overthrow he answered Nero could touch and tune the Harp well but in Government sometimes he uâ—ed to winde the pinnes too high and sometimes to let them down too low thereby intimating that he applyed Corrosives where gentle Lenitives would have served the turn and again he applyed Lenitives where Corrosives were needfull Additum nomine Neronis Donativum Militi congiarium plebi Tacit. 12. Annal. The Princes liberalities to the Souldiers were called Donativa which they bestowed upon some great victory or rather extraordinary occasion to the people or otherwise to his friends Congiaria doubtlesse because at the first certain measures called Congii of wine or oyl were bestowed and afterwards other things were given yet the ancient name remained Vindex first stirred the stone which rowling tumbled Nero out of his seat When it was told Iulius Vindex that Nero by publick Edict had prized his head at 10000. thousand Sesterces that is above four-score thousand pounds in our coine Well quoth he again and he that kils Nero and brings me his head shall have mine in exchange Qui Neronem interfecerit ad me caput ejus attulerit is meum accipiet caput in mercedis loco Xiphilin Nero consulting the Delphick or rather divellish Oracle he received this answer That he should take heed of the year 73. which he supposing to be meant of his own age rested secure being farre short of it but he was deluded by the ambiguous construction of those words and so fell into the hands of Galba a man indeed of those yeares At last the Senate proclaiming him a publick enemy unto Mankind condemned him to be drawn through the City and to be whipped to death which sentence when he heard of finding no man to strike him and exclaiming against them all What have I neither friend nor foe said he I have lived dishonourably let me dye shamefully and then he strake
reigne With whom both Tacitus and Suetonius end their History AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER REader I know Bookes have their doom according to thy capacity and that such are usually most free in censuring other mens workes which are least able to publish any of their own But as the Poet saith Carpere vel noli nostra vel ede tua Many Carpes are expected when curious eyes go a fishing and Bookes are pressed to the war as well as men Ad praelum tanquam ad praelium I neither deserve that favour from thee nor desire it that thou shouldest respect my toyes as Pliny said to Vespasian Tu soles nostras esse aliquid putare nugas and yet if thou be such a one that Augustus-like thou art ready to tax all the world I know no reason why I should regard thy censure the French Proverb saith De fol juge brieve sentence Nihil facilius quam reprehendere alium However I shall say now with Iulius Caesar Iacta est alea I have put it to the hazard thy applause shall not much tickle me nor thy rash sentence discourage me I have taken notice of a witty allusion used by divers of these Emperours and others concerning them which I thought fit to commend to thy observation viz. a descanting as it were upon the double signification of the word as first that of Iulius Caesars Souldiers Gallias Caesar subegit Nicomedes Caesarem Ecce Caesar nunc triumphat qui subegit Gallias Nicomedes non triumphat qui subegit Caesarem Caesar did subdue the Gaules and him hath Nicomede Behold now Caesar doth triumph who did the Gaules subdue But Nicomede triumpheth not who Caesar hath subdu'd Subegit carrieth a double sence the one signifieth the conquering of a Nation and so it is taken in the former place as it is applyed to Gaule the other the wanton abuse of the body in which acceptation it is to be understood in reference to Caesar abused by Nicomedes So in the History of Augustus Suetonius saith Quasi alii se puerum alii ornandum tollendumque jactassent ne aut sibi aut veteranis par gratia referretur The grace lyeth in the ambiguity of the Latine word tollendum which in one signification is in a manner equivalent with laudandum ornandum and betokeneth to be advanced extolled or lifted up and so it is to be taken in good part but in another it is all one with tollendum de medio or occidendum that is to be dispatched out of life or killed in which sence Augustus took it much like to that you shall read of Nero in Martial Quis neget Aeneae magni de stirpe Neronem Sustulit hic matrem sustulit ille patrem The like appeareth in some of Augustus his witty speeches as that to Galba Ego te monere possum corrigere non possum Iocatus est ambiguo verbo corrigitur quod reprehenditur corrigitur quod ex distorto sit rectum Eras. Apophtheg Hoc verè est monumentum Patris colere Colimus ea quae veneramur colitur ager aut aliud simile Gemina fuisset amphibologia si pro monumento dixisset memoriam quod ab illo dictum arbitror siquidem eorum memoria nobis sacrosancta dicitur quos vita defunctos veneramur memorias ad Graecorum imitationem vocamus defunctorum monumenta Erasm. in Apoph Nero said jestingly of Claudius That he left morari inter homines in which Verb morari there is couched a double sense which gives the grace unto this pleasant scoffe for being a meer Latine word and having the first syllable by nature short it signifieth to stay or to make long abode and taking it thus Nero might he thought to imply thus much that Claudius was now departed out of the company of mortall men but take the same word as Nero spake it derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek which signifieth a Fool and hath the first syllable long it importeth that Claudius played the fool no longer here in the world among men In the time of the two first Caesars which had the Art of Government in greatest perfection there lived the best Poet Virgilius Maro the best Historiographer Titus Livius the best Antiquary Marcus Varro and the best or second Orator Marcus Cicero that to the memory of man are known The time that the Roman Monarchie seemed to be at his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was saith Carion from Iulius Caesar to the end of Antoninus the Philosopher his reigne Afterward many filthy Monsters reigned and many seditious and civill wars followed therefore I have not onely enlarged the former Treatise by inserting here and there some other speciall observations but have made an addition also of six more Emperours since as Sir Francis Bacon also saith in his advancement of Learning the six next Princes were all learned or singular favourers and advancers of Learning which age as he also saith for temporall respects was the most happy and flourishing that ever the Roman Empire which then was a Model of the world enjoyed a matter revealed and prefigured unto Domitian in a dream the night before he was slain for he thought there was grown behind upon his shoulders a Neck and a head of Gold which came accordingly to passe in those golden times which succeeded Fulke in his Book of Meteors observeth not long before the contention of Galba Otho and Vitellius for the Empire of Rome there appeared three Suns as it were pointing out the strife which followed soon after between them three for the Imperial Diadem of threescore and thirteen Roman Emperours that perished within the narrow compasse of one hundred years onely three died a naturall death in their Beds the rest were cut off by their lusts It was a heavy time then with Christians when they groaned under the Persecuting Emperours three hundred years together yet in that time they had many Lucida intervalla many breathing spaces under Princes not altogether so bloody there were too principal Persecutors of the Church Diocletian and Julian but the last was the most pestilent Jerome justly styled him Canem rabidum and it is remarkable what is observed of him that going forth to the Persian War he asked in scoffing manner What the Carpenters Son meaning Christ was doing To whom it was answered by a good Christian Loculum fabricatur He is making a Coffin for Julian which Propheticall speech was indeed verified by the event for Julian was strangely wounded and slain in that War and as in his life time he had blasphemed Christ so he died blaspheming Christ and casting up his Blood towards Heaven he cried Vicisti ô Galilaee Thou hast overcome O Galilean This may suffice to have spoken of some of the chief Persecutors in generall since I purpose not to enlarge this Treatise any more because there is little said of many of the Roman Emperours and the History of them altogether is already written in our Mother tongue but I
that he might deface the suspicion of assasinating his Son He imitated Marcus Aurelius in a slow pace and low voice and Nero in a cruell life Instead of Macrinus he was by his own servants called Macellinus as one would say Butcher quòd macelli specie domus ejus cruentaretur sanguine vernularum Because his house was like a shamble of murthered men Capitolinus in Macrino c. 13. He was named Mezentius because like him he joyned live bodies to dead He commanded 2. souldiers who had ravished their hostesses maid to be sewed up in the bellies of 2. great Oxen their heads onely left out that they might speak one to another He caused those souldiers who committed Adultery to be tyed to the women and burnt alive though his Wife Nonia Celsa was insatiable that way He shut live men in seiled walls where they dyed miserably Mothe le Vayer in his Opuscules p. 27. c. thinketh that one reason why Macrinus banished Lucius Priscillianus a valiant Captain into an Island where he dyed was because he had the boldnesse to encounter alone 4. such fierce beasts as a Bear a Leopard a Lyonesse and a Lyon though his cruell carriage under Caracalla who advanced him afforded sufficient pretence for his punishment as Dion informeth us l. 78. Macrinus said he was clement when he punished but one souldier in an hundred with capitall punishment for a mutiny when he thought they deserved to be decimated or at least one in 20. to suffer Having written to the Senate that he knew no body desired his death Fulvius Diogenianus cryed out Yes but we all do After he had concluded a peace with Artabanus the Parthian King he returned to Antioch in Syria and there spent his time in sensual pleasures being drenched so far therein that the Army began to dislike his government and to favour young Bassianus the son of Caracalla then present at Emesa a Citie in Phoenicia with Maesa his Grand-Mother by his Mothers side who there had built a Temple to the Sun and therein ordained him a Priest for which cause he was called Heliogabalus which in the Phoenician language is the Priest of the Sun To this temple resorted many of the Souldiers and seeing the beauty of the youth allured Maesa to bring him to their Camp where known to be the Son of Caracalla the Souldiers proclaimed him Emperour and maintained his right against Macrinus who after this revolt met young Heliogabalus in the confines between Phoenicia and Syria where he fought a bloudy battel but being put to flight hasted to Chalcedon fell sick and was with his Son Diadumenus put to death by the Souldiers because he contracted their pay and suppressed their luxury He lived 54. yeares reigned one year and 2. Moneths Principis hic custos sumptum pro Caesare ferrum Vertit in auctorem caede Macrinus iners Mox cum prole ruit Gravibus pulsare querelis Cesset persidiam quoe patitur meruit Ausonius Choyce Observations OF HELIOGABALUS THis Monster had more names and sur-names saith Tristan then Hydra had heads for whilest he was a private man he was called Varius Avitus Lupus Varius from his reputed Father Varius Marcellus Avitus Lupus from Julius Avitus Lupus his Grand-father by the mothers side after being presented to the Souldiers to obtain their favour he was named Bassianus by whom when he was received and proclaimed Emperour they gave him the name of Antoninus He was the last Emperour upon whom that name was conferred which because he dishonoured he was called Pseud-Antoninus He was named Assyrius saith Dion because he was often seen in publick clothed with a barbarous habit such as his Countrymen the Priests of Syria anciently called Assyria used to wear His debauchednesse made him to be sur-named the Roman Sardanapalus He had the sur-name of Heliogabalus given to him because he was Priest of Heliogabalus the peculiar god of the Emesenes so strange a Deity that Authors agree not about the writing or meaning of his name though it be most probable that it signifieth the Sun He was the spurious issue of Caracalla and Symia Syra which Sealiger rendreth Lunula Onychine He had 6 Wives in the short time of his reigne the first of which was Annia Faustina of Commodus his linage for the enjoyment of whom he caused Pomponius Bassus her husband to be put to death not permitting her to weep for him Divorcing her he married Cornelia Paula a most Illustrious Roman Lady that he might the sooner be a Father said he who was not able to be a man yet soon after onely because she had a spot in her body as he said he put her away and stripping her of all honours sequestred her to a private life After pretending he was in love he violently took out of Vesta her sacred Nunnery at Rome Julia Aquilia Severa a Vestal Virgin and married her which by the Heathens was held such a crime that the Num which had carnal knowledge of a man was buried alive writing to the Senate who were grieved at his sacrilegious act That she was a fit match for a Priest and impudently affirmed he did it That from himself a Priest and his Wife the chief Priestesse of Vesta there might be born issue worthy of the Gods Yet he quickly turned away this wife for to espouse another with 2 more whose names are unknown it being difficult to determine whether he be to be blamed more for his frequent and illegal marriages or his sudden and causelesse divorces And at last being possessed with a continuall inconstancy having changed 5 times in 4. yeares he returned to Aquilia Severa compare Dion l. 79. with Herod l. 5. c. 6. Nor did he thus play at fast and loose with humane matrimonies onely but now his God also wanted a wise Him he married first to Pallas after saying His God liked not so martial a wife to Vrania concluding it was fitter to match the Sun and Moon together making his God almost as fickle as himself Herodian l. 5. c. 6. He gave all the treasure in the Temple of Vrania to his God for a portion with her He commanded all the people of Rome and Italy to use all publick and private feasts for joy of the wedding He erected in the suburbs a magnificent Temple into which every year with great solemnity he brought his God whom he preferred before Iupiter and made an edic◠that the Romans should pray to the ne◠god Heliogabalus before all other gods who he said were servants of his God spoiling their Temples to enrich that of his nay would have had no other gods worshippe◠at Rome saith Lamprid. in Heliogab c. 3. Ne◠Romanas tautùm voluit extinguere religioues sed per orbem terrae unum studens ut Heliogabalu◠deus unus ubique coleretur Id. ibid. c. 6. He was a man for all women and a woman for all men Coëffeteau He so far differed from the manners o◠men that modesty
1. He transacted no weighty matter of judicature without the advice of no lesse then 50 most learned and wise men beside 20 Lawyers 18 whereof were Scholars of Papinian of whom Vlpian was chief Every mans opinion was heard and what they said was written a competent time being given each Counsellour to consider what they propounded that they might not speak unadvisedly in matters of importance Lamprid. c. 16. and 68. In Law and business of state intelligent learned and eloquent men were of his Councel in military affaires old Commanders who had behaved themselves valiantly in several battails and were expert in the situation of places pitching of fields and preparation of camps in each matters he advised with the best Historians asking them what the Emperours of Rome or Princes of forreign countries in former times did in like cases as were then in debate Id. c. 16. When he appointed Governours of Provinces he published their names exhorting and encouraging the people to bring in what exception they could against them and manifestly to prove the crime if there was cause of accusation provided if they did not sufficiently prove their charge and that their accusation proceeded from malice the accuser should forthwith be beheaded for said he Since Christians and Jews use this method in ordination of Priests it is most reasonable that the like course should be taken in the choice of Rectors of Provinces to whom are committed the lives and fortunes of those who are under them Id. c. 49. When certain Hucksters and Cookes pretended they had right to a place which was consecrated by the Christians and it was inquired what was his pleasure therein he answered It was better that God should be worshipped there after any sort then that the place should be put to vain uses Id. c. 49. Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall History l. 6. saith that there were many Christians in his family He wrote down so far as he could remember what he had given to any man and if he found any to whom he had either given nothing or that which was not equall to his merit he called them unto him saying What is the cause that thou askest nothing of me Wouldst thou have me to be in thy debt Ask something that thou mayest not complain of me for want of promotion Id. c. 46. When any one had exercised his office in the Common-wealth well at the end of his term when there was a Successour appointed he would say to him who departed out of his office Gratias tibi agit Respublica and would so reward him that being a private person he might according to his degree live the more honestly Id. c. 32. He allowed every Judge of a Province 20 pound weight in silver 6 silver pots 2 Mules 2 Mulets 2 Horses a Horse-keeper and a Muletour 2 Robes to sit in judgement one honourable garment to wear in his house one for his bath one cook and 100 crowns their employment being ended they were bound to restore the Mules Mulets Horses Muletours and Cooks but might retain the residue if they had discharged their office well otherwise they payed 4 times as much as they received Id. c. 42. He did let no day passe without exercising himself in learning and martial affaires Id. c. 3. Every day also he did some good to others in which saith Tristan he had an advantage of happinesse above Titus who could not expresse the like goodness above space of 2 yeares in which he reigned If necessity required he heard matters before day staying till it was late never seeming to be weary or troubled but had all the time the same countenance in all things appearing merry and pleasant Lampridius c. 29. He was so courteous that he visited the meanest of his sick friends desiring them to tell him their minds freely of every thing and hearing them attentively and when he had heard them throughly whatsoever he found amisse he carefully amended and when his mother Mammaea and his wife Memmia blamed him for his great civility saying it made his authority contemptible he answered but more secure and durable Id. c. 20. He repaired most of the Bridges which were built by Trajan leaving notwithstanding the name and honour thereof to Trajan Id. c. 26. His Souldiers marceed like Senatours to the Persian war the Country loving them as brethren and honouring the Emperour as a God Id. c. 50. When he dined or supped abroad he had ever with him Vlpian or other learned men that he might benefit himself by their discourse with which he said that he was both recreated and â—ed Id. c. 34. In all the time of his reign which lasted 14 yeares he suffered none to dye but those who were condemned by law a rare vertue and not practised by any since Marcus Aurelius and there had been nothing wanting to have rendred him a most excellent Prince had not his Mother who was a good woman but too miserable blasted his honour by her sordid demeanour Herodian l. 6. c. 9. He meeting with a Druid as he went into Germany she said to him Vadas nec victoriam speres nec militi tuo credas Lampridias c. 60. Thrasybulus his friend foretelling that he should die by the hand of a barbarian he rejoyced thinking that he should die a warlike death but he was mistaken in his interpretation dying not in war for the souldiers enraged with his discipline and his mother Mammaea's covetousness slew both near Mentz in Germany by the instigation of Maximus a muletour whom he had raised He lived 29 yeares 11 months and 7 dayes and reigned saith Lampride 13 years and 9 dayes S. Aur. Victor saith that when Alexander saw himself forsaken of his guard he cryed out upon her which gave him his life as the cause of his death adding that Mammaea had reduced her son to such an extremity by her sparing humour who if never so little was left at their overfrugal table reserved it till another time Verè Mammaeus à studio in matrem Mammaeam ex cujus arbitrio consilio multa administrat infeliciter cum proprio exitio Dietericus in breviario historico Iulian bringeth in Silenus thus deriding him O te hominem amentissimum nullius plane consilii qui ad tantum dignitatis fastigium elatus tuas res ex animi tui sententia non administrasti sed tuas pecunias matri commisisti neque tibi tn mentem venit longe satius utilius esse eas amicis impartiri quà m sibi recondere He is the more to be honoured and admired since being come of uncertain linage born far from Rome and in so barbarous a Country as Syria he so well governed the Roman Empire which before his time was extremely corrupted with detestable vices Dion was contemporary and Consul with Alexander with whom he endeth his history of which Bussieres in his Flosculi historici passeth this censure Tunc Dio Cassius principi charus fastis
by the Persian legions proclaimed in Verona by the Roman souldiers and had the voices of the Senate to confirm him He was noble by birth an experienced wise and valiant Prince and might have been reckoned among the best had he not with an heathenish rage persecuted the Christians being Author of the seventh persecution He put more Christians to death in a year and an half than Trajan whose name he had and whom he would have been thought to resemble in 20. Tristan The Novatians would not communicate with them who had denyed the faith in the persecution of Decius and afterwards repenting turned to the same faith again Nicephorus Callistus l. 12. c. 28. The fear of his persecution gave the original to a Monkish life He was victorious against the Gothes and joyning a fresh battail with them was overthrown by the treason of Gallus his General saith Pomponius Laetus His son was mortally wounded by an arrow he leaping into a whirl pool was never seen after Tristan thinketh this misfortune befell Decius for a punishment of his persecutions Vopiscus in the life of Aurelian and Pomponius Laetus compare Decius and his son with the Decii Mures who devoted themselves to destruction in a dangerous fight for the safety of their Country which depended thereupon But the comparison doth not agree saith Tristan For the 2 ancient Decii rendred the Romans victorious by their death whereas these by theirs made them slaves to the Barbarians and lost many of their Provinces Besides that Decius the Father was drowned and swallowed up in his flight which hath no resemblance with the end of the Decii of the ancient Commonwealth He dyed at the age of 50 having reigned 2 years Choyce Observations OF TREBONIANUS GALLUS And his Son VOLUSIANUS GALLVS appearing much grieved for Decius his death was not suspected which facilitated his attaining of the Empire He caused Virtus Augustorum to be stamped upon his and his sons medails as if he had got the Empire by valour and not by deceit Under these two Emperours arose a plague in Ethiopia which spred it self by degrees in all the Provinces of the Roman Empire and lasted 15 years together without intermission and so great was the mortality that in Alexandria as Dionisius himself at that time the Bishop of that Sea reports there was not one house of the City free and the remainder of the inhabitants equalled not the number of old men in former times By means whereof St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage who lived in that age took occasion to write that excellent Treatise de Mortalitate And Lipsius his censure of this pestilence is Non alia unquam major lues mihi lecta spatio temporum sive terrarum Aemilianus his General having overcome the Gothes grew so proud thereupon that he aspired to the Empire which he purchased by the good will of the souldiers who slew Gallus and his Son in battail Dexippus who lived in those times saith he governed but 18 months Choyce Observations OF AEMILIANUS HE was an African of obscure parentage and arose to be a General from a common souldier His election was at first contradicted by the Italian band who sought to make Valerian Emperour to which the Senate inclined because of Valerians renown Aemilians Army hearing of the election of Valerian tumultuously murdered their own creature who reigned almost 4. months Some reckon him among Usurpers but his title is allowed by Eutropius Of 30 Emperours who reigned since Octavius Augustus time untill Valerian 6 of them escaped not the hands of murtherers Lloids consent of time Choyce Observations OF VALERIANUS HE was nobly descended and of such esteem among the Romans that being a private man and absent they chose him for their Censor an office of great dignity ever conferred upon the best saith Trebellius Pollio who wrote his life At the beginning of his reign he was gracious to the Christians above any of his Predecessors but after being perverted by an Egyptian magician and Macrianus he was author of the 8 persecution He was very cruel pulled out the eyes of young children thereby consulting of future Events In his reign there suffred 300 Martyrs together at Carthage whom the Governour of the City commanded either to throw frankincense into the fire set before them in honour of Iupiter or else to cast themselves head-long into a Brick kiln hard by which they did chusing rather to embrace fire than resist light Prudentius in Peristeph When he warred in Mesopotamia he was taken prisoner by Sapor King of Persia through the treachery of Macrianus and used like a slave as long as he lived Sapor setting his foot upon his neck whensoever he mounted on horse-back to the utmost vilifying of Majesty and the regret of divers interceeding Princes It was the most signal affront which the Romans hitherto ever received in the person of their Emperours Tristan At last saith Eusebius by Sapors command his eyes were pulled out wherewith he dyed Agathias saith he was flayed alive and rubbed all over with salt a calamity which may challenge tears of blood He lived along but disgracefull age was 76 years old before he was taken prisoner after his captivity he lived 7 years in reproches and then died a violent death A man of a poor mind and not valiant notwithstanding lifted up in his own and the opinion of men but falling short in the performance Sr. Fr. Bacon Infaelicissimus Principum a filio Gallieno in Deos relatus est quasi Deum facere posset quem liberum facere aut nequiverat aut neglexerat Cluverus Gallienus tam claro Dei judicio territus miseroque collegae permotus exemplo pacem Ecclesiae trepidâ satisfactione restituit saith Orosius Choyce Observations GALLIENUS WHen Valerian his Father was taken prisoner he was made Emperour He was expert in Oratory Poetry and all other arts but was defective in other qualifications which are requisite in an Emperour At first he acted like a valiant Captain overcame and slew Ingenuâ—s who usurped the Empire as also Trebellianus overcame 300000 Gothes Almans having but 10000 on his side saith Zonaras but after he gave himself so much to sensuality that when the World was infected with Warres he continued for the most part in Rome among whores compassed with Roses and Flowers seeking new delights often bathing himself studying how he might keep Figs and other fruits green all the year having ordinarily at his table most exquisite and delicate meats and of great cost Trebellius Pollio in Gallieno c. 16. He commanded one who had sold counterfeit jewels to his Wife to be cast to a Lion but the den being opened nothing came forth but a Capon at which when the people wondered he bade the Cryer proclaim Imposturam fecit passus est being content to have the impostor more frighted than hurt Id. ib. c. 12. Videsis Christiani Matthiae Theatrum Historicum Theoretico-practicum p. 263. When a shooting
himself at the tribunal of Minos before whom many accused him of unjustice but that the Sun who had alwayes in his life specially assisted him in all his enterprises excused him to the other Gods saying That he had been punished enough by his death according to the Delphick Oracle which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudicium si quis quae fecit perfer at aequū est Choyce Observations OF TACITUS And his Brother FLORIANUS UPon the death of Aurelian the Souldiers who would not have any of his assassinates to succeed sent to the Senate to chuse an Emperour the Senate refer the election to the Souldiers who they knew used not to be pleased with the Senates choice half a year passed in complements with a peaceable interregnum at last the Senate and Souldiers joyntly elect Tacitus He retired to his mannor in Campania where he was secret 2 moneths shunning that dignity which might prove his overthrow was often sollicited but with hearty thanks absolutely denied affirming his age made him unable to satisfy expectations at length necessity of state so requiring he accepted of their proffer at which all rejoyced but himself He was such an example of moderation to others that he permitted not his Empresse to wear jewels He honoured Tacitus the Historian whom he called his Father commanded his Works to be put in every Library through the Empire to be transcribed 10 times every year at publick cost Vopiscus in Tacito c. 10. When the Senate chose him Emperour they cryed out Quis meliùs quà m gravis imperat quis meliùs quà m literatus imperat When he objected his age they answered that Trajan Adrian and Antoninus were old when they came to the Empire whom they mentioned because they reigned well and fortunately omitting Vespasian Nerva Pertinax Macrinus and Decius who came older to the Empire but their reign was short especially that of the four last the three last also dyed a violent death Tristan When the Senate denyed him the Consulship which he sought for his brother Florianus he took it very well saying Scit Senatus quem Principem fecerit Vopiscus He gave the Souldiers all the mony he had in silver which was a great summe he having had more than 9 millions in gold for his patrimony His death was caused by grief occasined by factions infirmity of age helping to break his heart and his life when he had reigned 6 months Vopiscus His brother Florianus ambitiously strove to get the Empire as true heir though he knew Tacitus was engaged to the Senate that he would prefer worth before his relations in the designation of his Successour Being not able to withstand Probus who was chosen by the Army he was killed by the Souldiers say some but most write that by opening a vein he killed himself at Tarsus as Quintillus also did who was reduced to the same extremity Choyce Observations OF PROBUS VPon Tacitus his death the Army unanimously cryed out Let us have Probus for our Emperour and the Senate with applause confirmed the election The manner of his being chosen by the Souldiers was thus The Officers told them the requisites of one that should be elected that he should be Fortis Sanctus Verecundus Clemens Probus which when it was spoke to many companies on all sides they cryed out as it were by a divine instinct Probe Auguste Dii te servent Vopiscus in Probo c. 10. Valerian the Emperour called him Verè Probum saying in an epistle that if he had not had Probus for his name he deserved to have had it for his surname Id ib. c. 4. He was made tribune by Valerian in which office he served under Gallienus Claudius Aurelian and Tacitus His first service after he became Emperour was in France against the Germans who had conquered it wherein one battel he slew almost 400000 Germans 9 of whose Kings prostrated themselves at his feet he won also and repaired 70 of their Cities in lesse than 7 years The Egyptians electing Saturninus a wise and valiant Captain Emperour so sore against his will that he was like to be slain for gain-saying their desires Probus hasting towards them offered them pardon out of an unwillingnes to shed civil blood or to loose such a man as Saturninus but upon refusal of his clemency he engaged in a sharp battail wherein most of the revolters were overthrown and Saturninus slain in the assault of a besieged Castle to the grief of Probus who sought to save his life Vopiscus in Saturnino Bonosus who had charge of ships which the Germans burned in the mouth of the Rhine through his negligence if not treachery who fearing punishment for his fault rebelled against Probus but was overcome and through despair hung himself whereupon it was said Amphoram pendere non bominem That a barrell or tankard hung there and not a man because he was so given to drink Vopiscus in Bonoso There rebelled also against Probus Proculus as insatiate a vassal to Venus as Bonosus was to Bacchus so impudent that he did not onely cōmit filthinesse but boasted of it as appeareth by his Letter wherein he braggeth that having taken 100 Sarmatian Virgins he deprived 10 of that name in a night and all the rest within a fortnight inter fortes se haberi credens si criminum densitate coalescat saith Vopiscus in Proculo He honoured Aradion a most valiant man whom he overcame in wrestling with a tomb 200 foot broad remaining in Vopiscus his time which he caused the souldiers whom he never suffered to be idle to erect testifying the greatness of his respect by his largenes of his monument Vopiscus in Probo c. 9. Quo latior agri modus sepulchro assignabatur eo magis crescebat honos Casaubonus Being presented with a Horse taken in War which it was said could go an 100 mile in a day for 8 or 10 dayes together he said He was fitter for a cowardly than a valia◠souldier Id. Ibid. c. 8. Some say he was the last Emperour who triumphed after his Victory over the Germans and the Blemiae a people of Africk He commanded to be let loose at once 1000 estriches 1000 stags 1000 wild boars 1000 fallow dear beside wild goats wild sheep and other creatures which sed upon grasse as many as could be fed or found which he gave to the people to catch as they could the Circus being set all over with great trees which by the souldiers were taken up by the roots as they grew in the woods and planted there with green turf about them and fastned with beams and irons next day he let into the same place 100 maned Lyons which filled the air with roaring as if it had thundred 100 Lybian Leopards 100 Syrian 100 Lionesses and 300 beares Vopiscus in Probo c. 19. As Hanibal filled most parts of Africk with Olive-yards planted by his souldiers that they might not be idle to the indangering of the Common-wealth so Probus
chastly measuring others dispositions by his own vicious inclination He maligning Constantines fame at last persecuted the Christians in the East where he reigned with Martinianus whom he before made Caesar at Byzantium and his son Licinius at Arles He was overthrown by Constantine in several battels loosing many thousands of men and was himself taken prisoner yet by meditation of his wife had his life spared and was confined within Nicomedia where for his treasons after he and his son who somewhat survived him were put to death He lived 70 years and reigned 15 Victor Licinius a Constantino morte mulctatur vel ut alii tradunt quum filiam suam Herinam eò quòd Christiana esset ab equis discerpi mandasset ipse adstans inspecturus equi morsu interfectus est Elenchus Numismatum in Bibliotheca Bodieejaâ—a Select and Choyce French Proverbs some of which were collected out of Gruterus de la Noue and other Authors divers observed by my self when I was in France Alphabetically disposed and englished and compared also sometimes with the Refranes or Spanish A. ALler où le Roy va à pied To go where the King goes a foot Aller sur la Hacquenâ—e des Cordeliers To go upon the Franciscans Hackney 1. to go a foot Aimer n'est pas sans amer Love is not without bitternesse Ainsi va le monde So the world goeth Amasser en saison despencer par raison font la bonne maison A seasonable gathering and a reasonable spending make a good house-keeping Amiens fut priuse en Renard repriuse en Lion Amiens was taken by the Fox retaken by the Lion Amour peut moult argent peut tout Love can do much silver can do all Amour toux fumée argent on ne peut cacher longuement Love the cough the smoak and money can not long be hidden by any A Pere à Maistre à Dieu tout puissant Nul ne peut rendre l'equivalent To Father Master and God Al-sufficient None can render equivalent A petit Mercier petit panier A little Pedler a little pack Apres disner de la moustarde After dinner mustard Apres la mort le Medecin After death the Doctor Apres la pluye vient le beau temps After rain comes fair weather A quoi pensez vous quand vous nepensiez rien A vous respondre quand vouy me demandez rien On what think you when you think on nothing To answer you when you ask me nothing Argent content porte medicine Ready money is a ready medicine A rude Chien faut dur lien A curst Dogge must be tyed short Attente tourmente Expectation torments Au jourdhuy marriè demain marri Married to day sad to morrow A un bon Entendeur ne faut que demy mot Half a word is enough to an understanding Hearer Autant de Pais autant de coustumes So many Countries so many customes B. BEau parler n'escorche pas la language Good speech flees not the tongue Beauté sans bonté est comme vin esventè Beauty without goodnesse is like wine that hath taken wind Belles filles se trovent au bourdeau les beaux hommes es mains du Bourreau The fairest woman in the Stâ—wes and the hansom'st man at the Gallowes Bon marché tire l'argent de la bourse Good cheap commodities are not able pick-purses Bon sang ne peut mentir Good blood cannot lye Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceniture dorée A good renown is better then a golden girdle Bonne Terre mauvais Chemin Bon Advocat mauvais Voisin Bonne Mule mauvaise beste Bonne Femme mauvaise teste Good Country and bad Way Good Lawyer and bad Neighbour Good Mule and a bad beast Good Woman and a bad head Borgne est Roy entre les aveugles He that hath one eye is a King among the blinde C. CEqu'on apprend au bers dure jusques au vers That which one learnes in youth will continue till old age Cela est la Philosophie de Quenoville It is the Philosophy of the Distaff C'est un mouton de Berri il est marqué sur le nez It is a Sheep of Berrie it is marked upon the nose C'est un bon harquebusier il vise aux talons frappe le nez It is a good Harquebusier it aims at the heels and hits the nose Chair du Mouton manger de Glouton Flesh of Mutton is meat for a Glutton Chascun a son tour Le devise du Mounsieur de Guise Every one hath his turn The devise of the Duke of Guise Chascun est Roy en sa maison Every one is King in his own house Commun n'est pas comme un The Publick is not as private Courte messe long disner Short Masse and long dinner D. D'Eau benite le moius suffis Of holy-water the lesse sufficeth De fol Juge brieve sentence From a foolish Judge a quick sentence De la pance vient la dance Dancing followes a full belly De mauvais payeur il faut prendre paille Of an ill pay-master take any thing Desjuner de chasseurs disner d'Advocats Souper de Marchands collation de Moines The Huntsmans break fast the Lawyers dinner The Merchants supper and the Monkes drinking De trois choses Dieu dous garde De Beuf salé sans Moutarde D'un Valet qui se regarde D'une Femme qui se farde From three things God keep us From powderd Beef without Mustard From a Servant which vieweth himself From a Woman which painteth Du cuir d'autruy large courroye A large-thong of anothers leather E. EN gouttes Medicin ne voit Goutte The Physician sees but littie in the Gout En Orenge il n' ya point d'Oranges In Orange there are no Oranges En Pont en Planche en Riviere Valet devant Maistre derriere On Bridge on Plank and on River The Servant before and Master after Entre deux selles le cul à terre Between two stooles the tail to the ground Entre la bouche le verre Le vin souvent tombe à terre Between the lip and the cup. The wine is often spilt Eschorhcer le Renard To flea the Fox Estre sur la bord de la fosse To be upon the brink of the pii Alterum pedem in cymba charonti habere F. FAire de Chasteaux en Espagne To build Castles in Spain We say to build Castles in the air Faire de son Medecin son heritier To make his Phisician his heir Faire grond cas de peu de chose To make great account of a little thing Femme argent vin on leur bien leur venin Women money and wine have their good and their evil Femme rit quand elle peut pleure quand elle veut A Woman laughes when she can and weeps when she
Eras. in Apoph alii Sueton. Sueton. Et Alexand. Magnus solitus erat dicere se odisse olitorem qui herbas radiciâ—ùs convelleteâ— Et ut parsimoniam publicam exemplo quoque juvaret solennibus ipse coeniâ— pridiâ—na saepe ac semesa opsoniâ— apposuit dimidiatumque aprum affirmans omnis eadem habeâ—â— quae totum Noâ—â—em continuumque biâ—uum eâ—ulando potandoque consumpsit Sueton. Suetonius * Elegans Paranomasia So some played upon the name of Epiphanes and called him Epimanes or mad-man See Iunius on 8. Din. Others call the Duke of Lorrain the Duke des Larrons Le Theatre du monde l. 2. See after in Caligula and Titus Pliny l 1â— of Naturall Hist. Nor the thrice gallant Knight Athenâ—us memorat de Xenocrate illum scilicet uno haustu sâ—rpâ—isse vâ—nt coâ—gium Gassend de vita Epicuri lib. â— c. 6. Nero had an Officer about him to wit Petronius who was called Arbiter Neroniâ—ne libidinis Tacit Annâ—l l. 16. Latinis abstracta pro concretis simpliciter posita intendunt id quod dicitur plus enim quam vel sordidum designat vel sanguineum eximie nimirum â—alem Mentitur qui te vitiosum Zoile dixit Non vitiosus homo es Zoile sed vitium Heins Exercit Sac. Sueton. Sueton. Suetonius Tacitus Suetonius Suetonius Suetonius See the like in Augustus his life Ingenio ad repentina longâ—â—â—riore Aurel. Vict. Scribit Plutarchus in Apophtheg matis Augustum dicere solitum se Romani Imperii successorem eum esse relicturum qui nunquam bis de eadem reconsultasset Tiberium significare volebat Josephus lib. 18. of the Antiquity of the Jews c. 8. Tu quoque Galba degustabis imperium Tacit. l. 4. Annal. Lib. 1. Divin Instit. c. 16. Vide Tacit. l. 16. Aâ—al c. 12. Eusebius In Apologet They refused to do it saith Eusebius l. 2. Hist. Eccle. c. 2. that the wisedome and Divine power of God in the Doctrine of salvation might not need the allowance and commendation of men Christus Tiberio impeâ—rante per Procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus eraâ— * Lib. adversus Iudaeos * Lib. 4. de vera sapientia c. 10. Vide Vossium de tempore Dominicae passionis Sect. 3. Romani Caesares imaginem suam imprimebant monetae tam â—ureae quam argenteae Drusius * l. 2. Eccles. Hist. c. 2. He withheld a Legacy from the people of Rome which his predecessor Augustus had lately given and perceiving a fellow round a dead Corse in the ear he would needs know wherefore he did so the fellow replyed that hee wished the departed soul to signifie to Augustus the Commons of Rome were yet unpaid for this bitter jest the Emperour caused him forthwith to be slain and carry the news himself Doctor Willet on the Rom. 22. yeares 11. months 14. dayes saith Euseb. as Doctor Willet sheweth in his Hexapla on Dan. where the account differs from this certain months because he followeth Euseb. computation there Suetonius Quia natus in exercitu suerat cognomenâ—um calceamenti militâ—ris i e. Caligulae â—ortituâ— est Aurel. Vict. * Suctonius It was held crimenâ— laesae Majestatis against his Imperiall person Speed Vultus horridus Sueton. Torserat per omnia quae in rerum natura tristissima sunt fidiculis Eculeo igne vultu suo Seneca lib. 3. de Ira. He said that he did approve of nothing so much in his nature as his immodesty Sueton. Novum inauditum spectaculi genus Tacit. lib. 6. Annal. Sueton. Aurel. Vict. In his Temple stood an Idol of fine gold of himself which was daily clothed and adorned with the like garments which he then wore Cuffe of Affectation Ioseph l. 18. Antiq. c. 11. 2. de belle Iudaiâ— c. â— Suetonius Suetonius Per Genium Principis Romanos jurare solitos testes sunt Iurisconsulti nostri quemad-modum per salutem Principis per Principis venerationem Schildius in Calig Apologet. c. 28. Suetonius Suetonius Ita in bello civili Mariano Marius quidam particulatim amputatus diu vivere vel potius diu mori coactus est ut inquit eleganter Augustin lib. 3. de civ Dei Schildius Hellebore that groweth in the â—sle Anticyra is of most effectuall operation the root is that whereof is made our sneesing powder it purgeth extremely by vomit thereupon ariseth the Proverb Naviget Anticyram that is Let him sail to Anticyra applyed to one that is melancholike in the highest degree and little better then mad See Plinies naturall Hist. l. c. 342. At tu inquit unam cervicem habes nos verò â—anus multas Queri de conditione temporum suorum solebat quod nullis calamiâ—atibus publicis insignirentur Suâ—ton Suetonius Suetonius Dirissimae immanitatis dictum sed in Historia Turcarum factum legimus hoc etiam dicto crudelus Schildius in Calig vide plura ibid. De Cons. ad Helviam c. 9. In his Preface to his fourth book of naturall questions Aurel. Vict. Peroraturus stricturum se â—ucubrationis suae telum miâ—abatur Sueton. Minutissimis sentenâ—iis rerum fregit pondera saith Quintilian of Seneca Sueton. Commentus portentosissima genera ciborum atque coenarum Sueton. * Which had a glorious sight to look on yet there was nothing for the contentation of Nature so the Papists set their glittering service of Heb. Gr. and Lat. before the people a goodly shew to gaze on and wonder at Bish. Iewel Cael Rhodig Suetonius Hic non toto vertente anno sex millia septingenta quinquaginta myriadum aureorum prodegit â—ael Rhod. Iect Antiq. l. 20. c. 14. Contrectandae pecuniae cupidine incensus Saepe super immensos aureorum acervos patentissimo diffusos Ioco nudis pedibus spatiatus toto corpore aliquandiu volutatus est Sueton. These things were found after his death Pugio à pungendo quis punctim potius quam caesim vulnerat Sueton. See before in the life of Augustus and Tiberius Onely 28. yeares 4. moneths and 24. dayes Casaubon There is a great difference amoÌ„g Chronographers about the computation of his years Three years ten moneths and eighteen dayes saith Euseb. Doctor Willet on the Epist. to the Rom. Ioseph l. 19. of the Antiq of the Jews c. 1. Vtinam ego eum intefecissem Xiphilin Primus Caesarum fidem militis praemio pignoratus Sueton. Nec absolutum 〈◊〉 Natura sed inchoatum Suâ—â—onius * This some think is to be understood of Christians whom we find in the Ecclesiasticall writers to be misnamed by the Ethnick Infidels Chrestians like as Christ himself Chrestus in scorn * Lib. 20. Antiq. c. 2. * Lib. 12. of his Annals Sueton. Ausonius Idem planè accidit Hâ—â—di Magno cum uxorem Mariamnem occidisset Josephus Orig. lib. 10. c. 11. Casaubonus Sueton. Sueton. Suetonius Erat Naturâ— performidolosus Aurel. Vict. Sueton. Claudius Câ—sar tumuâ—toantem Britanniam perdomuit ab eo Câ—â—udiocestrium oppidum quod nunâ— Glocestrium dicunt * Eutropius Vâ—reque sermone nostro