against Seianus as rigorously as those against himselfe for they made him beleeue that hee receiued the Counterbuffe of all that was done against him Princes are offended when we blame their fauorites He that blameth the fauour of the Prince blameth his iudgement because it seemes we accuse the weakenesse of their iudgements in the election of a Subiect vnworthy their fauour The workeman is obliged to protect his workemanship the painter is angry if one cast durt on the Table he hath painted They seeke out old faults to serue for new examples of seuerity The Senate had ordained that Seianus his Statue should be erected in Pompeis theatre which Tiberius had caused to be reedified Cordus stung with this iniury done to the memory of Pompey cried out that that was not the way to doe but to vndoe Qui non rumperetur supra cineres Gn. Pompeij constituere Seianum Sen. and to place Seianus aboue the heades of all the Romans and to set vp a simple souldier on the Monument of a renowned Captaine He said true but truth doth not excuse indiscretion which beareh inconsiderately the censure of great ones Seianus remembred it yet accuseth him not for it Novum ac primum auditum crimen Ta. but disposeth Tiberius to looke into his life of which all the parts were found innocent and praiseworthy but his writings are likewise examined and a history which he had penned of Augustus and which Augustus himselfe had read Hee was accused that he had not sufficiently extolled Caesar nor Augustus and that he had to much praised Brutus Plut. and to haue termed Cassius the last man among the Romans Satrius Secundus and Pinarius Natta were his accusers Seianus his creatures Le credit dee accusateurs cest le desespoir del accusées Seiani clientes id perniciabile reo Tac. and this quality made the ruine of the accused vnfallible and put his innocency into despaire The Iudge himselfe made him perceiue by his sad countenance and terrible language that hee was set there not to heare but to condemne him not to make his processe but to appoint his punishment L' innocence des actions doit excuser le faute de parolles Verba mea arguuntur adeo sum factorum innocens neither did Cordus moue for the safety of his life for he was sure to lose it but for the honour of the truth and glory of his workes he spake in this manner My actions are so innocent that they accuse onely my words and yet haue they not offended neither the Emperor nor his mother who onely are comprehended within the law of Maiesty They say I haue praised Brutus and Cassius whose actions are reported by many Ilny a point d'historien qui ne se passione pour l'un ou pour l'autre and there is none who haue reported them without honour Titus Livius to whom is attributed the prize of eloquence and truth did so highly commend Pompey that Augustus called him Pompejan which neuerthelesse made no breach in their friendship Scipio personage digne de toute louange bellique Plut. Afranius Lieutenant de Pompeie contre les Parthes et Arabes Plut. Cassius ennemy de tyrans de fon infance Plut. Brutus bienvolu du peuple aimé des siens estimé de gens du bien hay de nul Voy l'epigramme 30 de Catul. He vseth not the names of Robbers and Parricides which now are imposed vpon Scipio Afranius this Cassius and this Brutus but he often stiles them braue and valiant men The history of Asinius Pollio makes honourable mention of them Messala Corvinus extolled Cassius as being his generall and that did preiudice neither of them but that they were mighty in riches and honours Caesar the Dictator contented himselfe with answering in a written Oration as before his Iudges the booke which Cicero composed raising to the heauens Cato his enemy The Epistles of Antony and speeches of Brutus reproach Augustus with many fals things expressing them with much bitternes and audacity The reading of Bibaculus and Catullus is not giuen ouer though farced with iniuries against the Caesars Iulius and Augustus haue suffered and contemned them Convitia sâ—reta exolescunt si irascare agnita videntur Ta. and it is hard to say whether in that they haue shewne more moderation then wisdome for calumnies being dispised vanishe away but in seeking reuenge are confirmed I doe not speake at all of the Graecians for not onely their liberty but also their temerity escaped vnpunished and if they haue bin chastized by any words haue beene the reuenge of words But it was euer free and without reprehension to speake of them whom death hath infranchised from hate or fauour will they obiect that I haue moued the people to stirre and take armes for ciuill warres while Cassius and Brutus were armed in the Philippian plaine there are sixty and six yeares past since they died as appeares by their statues which the victorious themselues haue not pulled downe Writings also preserue their memories Posterity rendreth to euery one the honour wich to him appertayneth and if I be condemned there will be some that will call to minde not onely Cassius and Brutus but also my selfe He had cause to enrich his discourse with the examples of Caesar and Augustus for in the world there was not any thing which may bee paralel'd to their generous bounty in pardoning obloquies C. Calvo post famosa EpigraÌ„mata de reconciliatione per amicos agenti ultro ac prior scripsit Suet. Valer Catullus perpetuastigmatâ— suis versiculis imposuit Caesari Suet. Caluus the Oratour and Catullus the Poet had outragiously detracted from Caesar the truth placed shame in their foreheads and repentance in their conscience Caesar contented himselfe with that and seeing that Calvus desired his friendshp but durst not require it he offer'd it vnto him by an expresse letter and for Catullus he inuited him to supper the same day that he had published his poeme against him For Augustus I cannot finde his equall Timagenes a noble Historian did write against him his wife Timagenem Caesar monuit ut moderatiùs linguâ uteretur perseveranti domo suâ interdixit postea in contubernio Pollionis affinis consenuit Sen. his daughter and all his house he aduised him both to vse his pen and tongue with greater modesty especially in his owne house and towards his friends for Augustus nourished him Extreame ingratitude he continued his course Augustus being inforced to interrupt him desired him to retire himselfe from his house Asinius Pollio esteeming more the gentlenesse of this spirit then the respect of the Emperor lodged and entertayned him Timagenes wholely declared himselfe the perpetuall enemy of Augustus burnt the faire history which hee compiled of his reigne to make it knowne that he deserued not that he should write of him or that the good he spake of him was but a lie Augustus disgested all this
capita servarat Sen P. In the same place where the people drawne by the reputation of his eloquence pressed to follow him where they gaue eare vnto his seruiceable speeches which haue preserued so many heads he is now made a spectacle vnto his citizens not with the same ioy or in the same manner they had admired him liuing and intire but the blood couering his head and disfiguring his visage the same head which in former time commanded in the Senate and was the ornament of the Romane name now serues for a recompence to him who did seperate it from his body All their hearts burst forth into teares and lamentations when they beheld his right hand the instrument of his diuine eloquence made fast vnto his head Caeterorum caedes privatorum luctus exciâ—averunt illa una communes the death of all besides himselfe were but particularly lamented all did ioyne in mourning for this generall losse we are not onely to beleeue the greatnesse but to admire the number of his vertues when he saw what they meant to Brutus Optimè meruit de posteris ad quos veniet incorrupta rerum fides Cassius and Sextus Pompeius he spake these words euery thing displeaseh me but death Cordus did write the history of his owne time and it may be that leauing the truth vntainted to posterity he spake honourably of those that suffred death in defence of their ancient liberty for the feare of death excuseth not him which offendeth against the truth to please fortune To publish false storie or to giue false instructions vnto them that write is but to murther them that passe thorow the high way of beleefe retaining in his discourse the same liberty which hee had done in his writings he contemned the pride of Seianus and to deliuer himselfe from the hands of so puissant a man made it knowne that he was truely a man with drawing himselfe from the number of miserable men This misery was not so frequent amongst the Romans while Germanicus liued Dion saith that often opinions past against his and that hee was not offended these two lions as yet kept in their clawes feare ruled the actions of Tiberius and necessity bridled the insolency of Seianus Dion saith that so long as Germanicus liued Tiberius did nothing of himselfe he restored all manner of affaires to the Senate administred iustice by the aduise of them who assisted him thought good that euery man should giue his aduise Tiberius was wont to say I am Lord of slaues Emperour of souldiers and prince of all the rest suffered himselfe to bee contradicted and sometimes taken vp in his opinions Hee would not permit himselfe to bee called Lord but of slaues and Emperour onely of the souldiers he flatly refused the title of Father of the Countrey in speeches and petitions he passed by the name of Augustus and in his dispatches to Kings and contented himselfe euery where else with the name of Caesar and prince of the Senate his ordinary wishes were that the heauens might grant him life so long as the commonwealth should haue need of his seruice Germanicus liuing All this was during the life of Germanicus but after his death all was changed his birth day was not solemnized they neuer swore by his fortune they erected him neither statue nor temple when he passed thorow the the Citie there was neither Senator Patrician Romane Knight nor any other Lord of quality in his traine comporting himselfe in all things as if hee had liued vnder a popular gouernment so farre as to make funerall orations for particular persons If he did commit any violence it was coloured and cloaked with apparances of reason or necessity Ambition lurks for a long time after to appeare great or if it were secret it was so carried that it neuer came to light Clement a famous Impostor murthered his master Agrippa Posthumus the grand child of Augustus The Emperour Augustus to please Liuia did banish him to the Isle of Plauesia Vetita occultis primum sermonibus crebrescunt Tac. and because they were of the same yeares and proportion he caused a report to be raised secretly as a thing dangerous after published as pleasing newes that Agrippa was aliue for it is true that the Emperors mother caused him to be slaine immediatly after the death of Augustus Whose memory was so deare and venerable that vnder this name he found friends in Gaule succour in Italy and credence in Rome the people crying and beleeuing that the Gods had reserued him for the good of the Empire Tiberius considering that fame and legerity supported this fable Veritas visu mora falsa festinatione incertis valescunt and that there could not so little credit bee giuen to it but that it might preiudice his affaires made meanes to intrappe him by some who fained themselues to be of his plot when he was before him he maruelled that hee did so handsomely mannage this imposture and asked him by what title doe you make your selfe Agrippa Percontanti Tiberio quomodo Agrippa factus esset respondisse fertur quomodo tu Caesar Tac. the gallant replyed by the same thou makest thy selfe Caesar Torments could not wrest from him the names of his accomplices and although Tiberius knew well that he was assisted with mony and counsell by men of the greatest ranke Inanis credulitas tempore ipso vanescit yet he made no inquiry after them he put him to death without noyse and there was no more spoken of it Tiberius then had cause to reckon the death of Germanicus amongst the happiest daies of his life and Seianus ranked it amongst the greatest stroakes of his fortunes but the same enmity they bore towards the Father they continued to his Children dissembling it neuertheles as much as they could because it should not appeare but in conuenient time and couering it with shewes of affection towards them Tiberius intreated the Senate to dispence with the age of Nero Neronem è liberis Germanici iam ingressum iuventam commendavit patribus non sine risu audientium Ta. Congiarium pleb Ta. Vt illa secundis ita hoc adversis animis acceptum Tacit. Iason tyrant of Pheres said that he would die of hunger if he did faile of the tyranny for he could not liue Idiot Idiot is a priuate person to vndergoe publike offices and at fifteene yeares to be made a Questor which office was neuer borne before two and twenty he was also named high Priest and at the day of his entry to this office he made largesse of prouisions to the people which reioyced to see the children of Germanicus in a flourishing youthfulnes For increase of ioy he espoused Iulia the daughter of Drusus but all was conuerted to disdaine when they saw that the daughter of Seianus was affianced to Drusus the sonne of Claudius esteeming this great house to bee dishonoured by that alliance and
that body whilst it is at the banke of Tyber and cry out that we tread vnder our feet the enemy of Caesar He that is a seruant let him renounce and quit his Master let him take him by the necke and stop his throat to draw him trembling before the Commissaries This is the way to saue himselfe and also to be rewarded Afterwards the people in secret had this discourse of Seianus See then who will follow thee and who will Court thee as Seianus did haue so much wealth as hee dispose of Dignities giue the Chaires of Iuory command the Armies be esteemed the Gouernour of the Prince to performe these affaires during the time he was in the streight Grotte of Caprea with a troope of Chaldeans and of Astrologians Wouldst thou haue command ouer the troopes which carries the Pile or the Iauelin with three heads Wouldst thou command ouer the Cauallery ouer those braue Troopes which waite at the Pallace to gard the Prince Principis Augusta Caprearum in rupe sedentis Cum grege Chaldaeo Qui nolunt occidere queÌ„quam posse volunt Vt rebus laetis par sit mensura malorum An Fidenarum Gabiorumque esse potestas Et de mensura vis dicere Numerosa parabat Excelsaeturris tabulata vnde altior esset SuÌ„mus nempe locus Magnaque numinibus vota exaudita malignis Iu. Why desirest thou not this Those who doe not desire to kill any person desire yet the power to doe it Euery one sees the honour and the riches which are yet notwithstanding such that the measure of euils that follow them equals those of the contentment that they bring Doest thou loue rather to carry the garment of Seianus whom thou sawest drawne through the streets then to be Ruler of the Fidenates or the Gabij or to be Aedile at Vlubra which is almost vninhabited and Iudge of Measures and cause them to be broken which are not iust Thou must needs then confesse that Seianus neuer knew what he ought to haue desired For in seeking after those great honours and those great riches he did no other then prepare a Scaffold vpon a high Tower to fall downe and precipitate himselfe from the greater height Who turned Crassus and Pompey vpside-downe and who was he that tamed the old Romans and brought them to endure the whip like slaues High places which are mounted vnto by cunning or deceit and great desires which are heard by the maligne starres become the ruine of them that make them Few Tyrants haue come quietly to the Sonne in Law of Ceres and to a naturall death their death hath seldome beene dry and blood hath not beene spared to temper with it Seneca saw this Execution and yet neuerthelesse hath written nothing of it although he were of an age that he might well haue obserued it for he was at Rome fifteene yeeres before the death of Augustus He was amazed that of the body of so great and so mighty a man there remained nothing for Sepulture If an ouergreat ioy slew a Mother Si ad mortem agere matres magnum gaudium quid magnus dolor Sen. Cratisiclea had desired that they would put her to death before her children but the executioners slue them before her face Plut. what ought an extreame sorrow to doe Apicata was assailed with an incredible sorrow when shee saw her children at the Gibbets foot Cratesiclea the Mother of Cleomones King of Sparta whose head Ptolomee caused to be cut off and his body fastned to the Crosse seeing his children slaine before her eyes said Alas my children whether are you going Apicata said to these innocents which she saw vpon this infamous place Poore children where are you In this extremity of sorrow shee retired her selfe to her house where shee wrote a Discourse of the death of Drusus sent it to Tiberius and that being done shee slew her selfe Ordo sceleris per Aâ—icatam Seiani prodi tus tormentis Eudemi ac Lygdi patefactus est Tac. She had not so long forborne to reueale this enormous offence if the pitie of her children had not restrained her for shee knew well that in crimes of treason they beare the punishment of the Father She accused Seianus Liuilla Ligdus and Eudemus They being put to the torture confessed all Tiberius caused many to be tormented to know who were the complices Errore detecto occidi iussit ne divulgaret iniuriam Suet. It was told him that a man of Rhodes was arriued and not remembring what it was his hoste had bad him doe he caused him presently to be put to the racke and hauing discouered the error commanded that he should be slaine to the end hee should not discouer the wrong he had receiued This was to conserue the reputation of a iust Prince by a a notorious iniustice Mihi vita tanti non est vt armis tegenda sit Tac. The death of Seianus gaue much confidence and security to Tiberius and when hee was moued to choose twenty Senators neere about him armed he answered That his life was not so deere that hee would submit it to be conserued no way but by arms But he left not for all that his vicious and vnbrideled manners and not killing his vices before his owne death he enioyed not that content to see his enemies dye before him Neuerthelesse hee felt the remorse of conscience so violent that hee protested to the Senate Tandem facinora flagitia in supplicium vertuntur T c Vt corpora verberibus itam saeuitia ac libidine Tyrannorum animus dilaceratur Tac. that he suffered death daily Hee could not naturally endure to be subiect to the iudgement of men but he remained conuicted in his conscience that accused condemned and executed him Whereupon one wise man said who liued in those times That if the hearts of Tyrants might be seene they would appeare more vlcerous through voluptuousnesse then the bodies of those they had slain by their cruelty would doe with their wounds Of all his outrages the most pernicious was the death of that Architect who so handsomely rebuilt and repaired the Portall of Rome which was fallen downe and who hauing presented him a Glasse Ferunt Tiberio Principe excogitatum vitri temperamentum vt flex bile esset totam artificis officinam ab litam ne ae is argenti auri metalli pretia detraherentur brake it and recollecting the peeces made it vp againe in the same place hauing discouered the Art that this materiall the last worke of the fire might be made obedient and plyable to the hammer Pliny saith that hee abolished it to the end that Gold Siluer and Brasse might not be lesse prized What an ornament to the world would this haue beene if of an hearbe which hath neither beauty nor smell which is good in the taste neither of men nor beasts one could haue made a materiall hard solid and transparent An Inuention neuerthelesse that precedent ages haue beene
incredible insolencie but so certaine that none dare deny it to shew that sottishnes and malice were companions and sisters in all his actions Being at the feast of the king Nabates when he saw that the crounes of gold which were giuen him were neither of the beautie nor the weight of those of Germanicus or of Agrippina he threw them on the ground and being no lesse foolish then malicious he began to reproue the sumptuousnesse of the feast and discoursing against Luxurie said that such expence was proporcionable to an Emperor and not to the sonne of the King of the Parthians Poore sot didst thou thinke euer after this to find credit in the heart or securitie in the following of Germanicus whom thou hadst so impudentlie offended although he was blamed because he was too good and that he endured too much Thinkest thou that there was in the world a safe retiring place to guard thee against the rage of a Prince of Augustus bloud Hast thou heard it said that hearts of such breeding haue beene offended and not punished And loe therefore Plancina who esteemed not her selfe could be happie so long as Agrippina was happie said that she must needs either perish or reuenge her selfe and pull this thorne out of thy hart or permit that she might pluck it out of thy breast It is a generous kinde of reuenge to let ones enemy see that hee can auenge himself Yee conscript Fathers admire the goodnesse and generousnesse of this Prince who hauing beene so often and so to the quicke offended by Piso was alwaies contented to let him know he could auenge himselfe and saue him when he might haue ruined him He came to find him at Rhodes and being well aduertised of all the plots he had framed against him Nescius quibus insectationibus peteretur mansuetudine tamen agebat Tac. yet he bare himselfe towards him with so much equalitie and moderation that vpon the aduertisement which he had receiued that fortune had cast him vpon some shelues he sent him certaine Barkes to fetch him off Potest quandoque interitus inimici ad casum referri Tac. although if he would haue deserted him he could haue blamed none other then chance and that fortune had conspir'd for his auengment Germanicus visiting Aegypt had the curiositie to see the heads of Nile Nilus cuius in narrabilis natura est cum mundo traxit principia Sen. that memorable riuer which had its beginning with the world and at his returne found that Piso had changed the order in which he had left affaires at his departure that which he had secured was shaken Amici accedendis effusionibus callidi Tacit. and that which he had commanded was despised He grew angry his seruants animated him to resent it and his dissembling kept not backe his choler but that it was made manifest by his words his reuenge by his threatnings Piso retired himselfe Germanicus fell sicke Piso who knew how farre the disease would goe went not farre off and the violence of the poyson hastened his death Ah cruell Heare the words of this Prince when he was dying and those dying words which shall eternally liue in the memory of the Romans The last words of a dying Prince increase the complaint against the authors of his death I dye miserablie in the flower of mine age by the treason of Piso and Plancina I coniure you my friends to make it be seene to the people of Rome that these wickednesses haue cut the throat of the Nephew of Augustus and of six small children What hearts are these which these words will not bray and bruse And dost thou yet liue Piso and doth the Sun yet giue thee light Thy conscience not knowing where to hide thee Tutum aliqua res in malâ conscientiâ praestat nulla securum Sen. hath conducted thee hither to be punished and could not consent to the security which thou soughtest after elsewhere so that as she hath failed thee to dissolue this crime she her selfe hath betraied thee to conduct thee to punnishment What hast thou done after this Parricide Subdola mora scelerum probationes subuertit Tac. Thou visitedst the Cities of Asia Thou spentst thy time at the faire houses of Achaia This was done to no other end but to make the proofes vaine the witnesses to die wee must now O yee conscript Fathers put Piso in the estate of a vanquished man to reduce him to that of an accused Mihi fasces vis Praetorâ—â— mihi legiones dare Tac. He did not as that honest man Valerius Publicola did who being accused quitted his house of Velia and lodged in the village to the end that they might take no paines in searching for him He that is innocent shuns not iudgement and he that is culpable keepes himselfe a loofe from the iudges When great ones are accused they ought to suffer themselues to bee found easily If any man had accused him for taking Armes he purposed to haue shadowed it vnder the Command which he had in Syria vnder Germanicus his Generall if to haue medled with the monies of the publique he perswaded himselfe that that parte thereof which he should keepe for his friends might saue the cost Hee may free himselfe for a little who hath stolen much Venenum nodo crinium occultatum nec ulla in corpore signa sumpti exitij reperta Tacit. If Martina that famous sorceresse and empoysonnesse the great friend of Plancina had not bin dead she would haue discouered al the secrets of this treason The friends of Germanicus would haue had her beene brought to Rome but when she was at Brundusium she dyed suddenly and the poyson hid in the knots of her haire appeared not at all in her body Suorum insidijs externas inter gentes occidit Tacit. If the truth may be ayded by presumptions no man can say that this Prince who hath sound lesse securitie among his owne then amongst strangers was killed by any other then Piso who durst haue enterprized it he had offended no man but him and for the resentment of this offence he was declared his enemy and thrust himselfe into his charge and euery man knowes it is hard to seuer the desire of death from that of the succession One once in this place of a Proscript man who to enioy the goods of his wife So Leponina fâ—llow d 〈◊〉 husband Iulâ—â—s Sabinus in Vespasians time told her that he would kill himselfe she added that she would accompanie him He prepared the deadly drugge but with such cunning that he drinking first left the poyson which by reason of the ponderousnesse thereof sunke downe to the bottome for his wife to drinke she died he was well enough and enioyed the goods which she had left by her testament Seldome any scape of that poyson which is giuen by an heire Who reioyceth more at the death of any then he that hath
per vana promissa Piso Ta. but that Seianus had deceiued him through his vaine promises and that he was not slaine by him but that he had sent one to slay him in the night Death freed Piso but Tiberius and Seianus were accompted neuer the more innocent Per noctâ—s creberrimè acelamatum est Redde Germanicum Suet. and one might euery night heare cries about the Pallace Restore to vs Germanicus This death whether it were voluntary or forced diminished the hatred of the people against Piso and increased it against Tiberius and so much the more in that he had saued his wife and hauing brought this miserable man into the pit would not drawe him forth againe If Piso had left his cause to the course of iustice and law and that he had suffered death as one who neuer had feared it one would haue pittied his misery Confidence lesseneth the infamy of punishment There is no life so odious that ending in publique with constancy and modesty changeth not hatred into pitty pitty into fauour and leaueth not some fauourable opinion of innocency Germanicus his death gaue lesse contentment to Seianus than to Tiberius for this Prince held all their resolutions in check Tiberius knew that so long as he liued he should not be Emperor Our enemies constraine vs to liue regularly and to keepe our life vnreproueable as it were in a thinne dyet Plut. Seianus despaired that he euer could be and that he might dispose of the Empire so absolutely as he did afterwards for this Prince kept him short and as it were in a strict dyet The great affection which he held in the hearts of the great ones middle ones and meane ones mightily crossed his ambition But after his death fortune bare him vp the wind so that his pride and insolence split the sayles of his vessell and of his conduct Tiberius beleeued that he had more authority but he was neuer the lesse mistrustfull imagining that so many friends as Germanicus had left so many conspirators there were and therefore he said that he held the Empire but as a wolfe by the eares Lupum auribus teneo fearing least it should escape him being escaped bite him he feared that euery one had a purpose to take it from him He caused the natiuities of the principle men of Rome to be cast and according as it was reported vnto him that their Starres promised some excellency aboue others he suppressed banished and put them to death He vnderstood that Galba might attaine thereunto and therefore meeting with him the day he was married he said vnto him and thou Galba shalt one day tast of the Empire Dion Tac. and yet hee enterprised nothing against him because this dignitie was fatally destined for him Seianus amongst the precepts of his gouernment had this to nourish distrust alwayes in the heart of Tiberius to the end that he trusting none else might put confidence in him The greater housen which were discended from those braue and generous spirits who were sacrificed for preseruing the libertie of their Countrey were suspected of Tiberius who desired to raise the principality aboue the foundation of Augustus and hatefull to Seianus who could not brooke that vertue should oppose his fortune Libi Drusus being discended by his father from Augustus Liboni proavus Pompeius amita Scribonia consobrini Caesares Tac. and by his mother from Pompey the great was one of the principall yong men of Rome and as this birth giuing hope to his courage gained him respect amongst the great ones so the same was the cause of his fall His youth being forward and without iudgement Defertur moâ—ri res novas Ta. carryed him to thoughts higher then the times permitted them and hee was for this cause alwayes so suspected by Tiberius that being at the sacrifices hee commanded the Master of the Ceremonies to giue to Libo one of the Sacrificers a knife of lead to the end that he should attempt nothing against his person Another time he demaunding audience in secret he caused his sonne Drusus to come thether and feining to haue neede to be supported in his walking hee held fast Liboes right hand who spake to him carrying his eye firmely vpon all his motions This young man had one of the Romane Senators his entire friend who plotted his ruine considering that to aduance his fortune the shortest way Iuvenis improvidus faciliâ— inanibus Ta. was to ruinate those that shadowed that of Sejanus Hee possessed this light spirit that there was some great matter written in heauen for him hee lead him to debauched courses which drew on excessiue expences and he conducted him into those discommodities Hortatur ad luxum aes alienum socius libidinum necessitatum quo pluribus indicijs indagaret Ta. that this naughty friend did nothing but lull him a sleepe with nothing but vaine hopes Necessitie made him dreame to what hee should come and put him into the curiosity to informe himselfe of Astrologers of that which the starres had promised him the ordinary refuge of weake minds that seeke patronage To know more also his friend caused him to conferre with Magicians who demanded of their Deuils that which they knew and who told him nothing true for a little after all his hopes were turned into despaire Tib. non vultu alienatus non verbis commotior cuncta eius dicta factaque cum prohibere posset scire malebat Ta. The Senator reported all this to Tiberius who was glad to see this yong man falne into the pit and yet neuerthelesse he forbore not to shew him good countenance to giue him the estate of a Praetor and sent for him often to his Table Vpon a suddaine he causeth him to be accused to the Senate as of a great enormious and important matter Behold him brought now into the state of an accused man he changeth his garments Reus obsoletiùs vestiebatur Cic. the chiefe Ladies of the Citie being a kinne to him sollicite for him there 's no man will meddle with his defence for when the question is of conspiracy against the Prince all intercessions are suspected and fauours It was not permitted to sicke persons to goe in their Litter but to the dore of the Senate crimes He goeth to the Pallace in a Lectica for this blow being not fore-seene had abated the vigor of his health and sustained by the hand of his brother he entreth the Senate house and when he saw Tiberius a great way off he held vp his hands imploring mercy with great humility This Tigre laid hold with his teeth on all the excellent Spirits of his times A Poet hauing vttered some free words against him Quod in Tragoediâ Agamemnonem probris lacessisset Suet. was put to death not for that but because in a certaine Tragedy he had disgraced Agamemnon and transgressed against the respect due to Kings Tiberius punished the offences
death of Augustus and Germanicus but no body beleeued that in this flourishing condition hee had beene so neare his Ruine and for all this they forbore not to call him Tiberius his Companion not onely in the Consulship but in the vniversall Empire Tiberius to sound their wills and affections wrote often to Seianus and to the Senate one while that he was in good health anon after that he was in the point of death at some other times that his strength was restored that in few daies he hoped to see them and returne to Rome Prudenda miseraÌ„daque orat one P. C. precabatur mitterent alteâ—in conscilâ—bus quâ— suuÌ„ sed solum in conspectum eorum cum aliquâ— militari presidio perducere Sen. these fainings did profit him for according to the joy or affliction that these newes procured or to the hope or feare he perceiued who depended vpon him or who vpon Seianus hee entreats the Senate also to send him one of the Consuls with some Convoy to bring him safely He belieued that the conspiracy was so great against him that he should not be able to resist it and had therefore prepared certaine vessels to take his flight withall and caused Centinels to be placed aloft on the rockes who by fires made signes of what they discouered It must be that the Coniuration was very great and very ready or Tiberius very fearefull abashed so to lay open the trouble of his spirit for feare should neuer lodge in the heart of a Prince who may be well lamented when they who should stand in awe of him doe deterre him But the Favorite began to bee troubled when one told him that he saw the smoake evaporate out of the head of one of his Images he caused it to be broken to know the cause We ought not proudly to despise prodegies this neglect lost Alexander App. Perseus Iustin Luc. Crassus D. Hal. and from thence a great Serpent was seene to issue foorth hee despised not this prodigie and made a Sacrifice to himselfe for hee was accustomed so to doe and there was a cord found about the necke of the sayd Statue Tiberius judged that the Destinies had conspired to ruine him with their vengeance but hee continued his dissimulations bruiting it abroad that hee meant to raise him to the greatest Office of the Empire Dion saith that to Accuse and intrap Seianus Tiberius caused it to be bruited in the Senate that hee would conferre vpon him the dignity of Tribune but at the same time he sent away Nevius Sertornis Macro with commaundment to present his Letters to the Senate to seize vpon Seianus and to let Drusus being in prison at libertie that hee might gather his friends together against the Common enemy if then were any opposition Nihil noÌ„ aggresuri sunt homines si magna conatis magna pramia proponantur Liu. The place of Colonell of the Guards which Tiberius bestowed on Macro animated this execution Princes that will bee well serued ought alwayes to make the quality of the service to bee seene by the Recompence thereof Hee came secretly to Rome and communicated the Cause of his arrivall to the Consul Memnius Regulus and not to his Colleague for he was Seianus creature and vnto Gracinus Laco Knight of the Watch he found them disposed to sacrifice this wicked man to the publike hatred The Consul Convoked the Senate for the next day to the Temple of Apollo The Senate did not sit but in Temples or in sacred places and caused these wordes to bee fixed to one of the pillars of the Gate In a good houre Memnius Regulus This word was bonum factum to which may all things prosper shall to morrow at breake of day keepe the Senate at the Temple of Apollo Let the fathers Conscript bee there there are matters of weight to bee handled The penaltie of the absent is no excuse To giue example vnto others hee was himselfe one of the first that came Pruna luce Cic. hee entred with the badges of his Dignitie his purple Robe twelue Sergeants marching before him making cleere the passage at his entry hee sacrificed Wine and Honey takes his place in the Ivorie chaire Hocillis Curis templum Virg. the other Senatours doe the like and ranke themselues in their places Macro meetes with Seianus who was not as yet entred Qualem quisque sortem statumque habeat in mea manu profitum est quod cuique mortalem fortuna datum villis meo ore pronunciat Sen. and seeing him a little troubled that hee brought him no Letters from Tiberius hee rounded him in the eare that he had some better thing for him I bring you the power of Tribune this stayed him and his friends were presently acquainted with all and rejoyced at it hoping that all which Fortune would bestow on the Romaines should passe through the hands or from the mouth of their Master Macro presents his Letters and retired causeth his Souldiers to bee assembled vnder colour of Imparting vnto them the Emperours Commandements and by this meanes left for the Guard of the Temple the Souldiers of the Watch the rest that followed Seianus went to the Campe and to their Ensignes beeing there hee assured them of the Emperours willingnesse to acknowledge theyr services and to gratifie them with some Present These were presents of Armes Pikes Ensignes scarfes chaines of Crownes There were not any but listened hereunto and promised to bee ready in all things hee chose a competent number of them to keepe the advenues and the Temple of Apollo this done hee presents his Letters to the Senate and told them his charge and with-drawing himselfe leaues Laco there and goes to giue order for the other parts of the Towne The Princes authority is at the lowest ebb when he dares not declare openly vnto his subiects the cause of his discontent His Letters are Read and doe shew the patterne of a troubled and trembling Spirit which dares not expresse but with halfe wordes that which hee conceiues against the ingratitude and treacherie of his Servant they were mingled with diuers affaires without order the beginning with indifferent the residue with other things of greater Importance This was pursued with complaints of the vnmeasurable power of Seianus then hee descends to other occurrents praying the Senate to make processe of two Senators Seianus his inward friends and in the end commands them This tragicke end of Seianus is well represented in the French Tiberius of Monsiour Le Maistre chiefe mederin of Monsieur but faintly to watch ouer Seianus his actions there was not one word of putting him to Death so much bee feared least the Credit he had euery-where should oppose it selfe and that in case things should not succeed according to his desire hee might alwayes haue the libertie of expressing himselfe But as feare beleeues all that it Imagineth Aliquisque panendo
dat vires fama nulloque authore maloruÌ„ quae frigen â—ment Lucan Seianus his friends finding not in his Letter what they expected separate themselues from him as from a place threatned to bee Thunder-strucke when the Princes favour abandoneth a man it is dangerous to come neere him 〈◊〉 grace is Contagious Dion obserues heere how mens mindes are variable and sayth that before the Letters of the Emperour were read there was not a Senatour but did reuerence to Seianus and asked him Cicero reproaches the same to Cateline Aduentu tuo ista subsellia vacua facta sunt Cic. how hee would imploy them to doe him service but finding the minde of Tiberius to be changed they changed at one instant they that were farre from him looked awry vpon him they that were neere him went farre off They shrunke from one guilty of high treason Quis in adversis beneficiorum seruat memoriaÌ„ aut quis vllum calamitesis deberi putat gratiam quando fortuna non mutat fidem Vell. they that thought it an honour to follow him thought themselues dishonoured to sit neare him and where are those men which call to minde benefittes in aduersitie or thinke themselues bound to the miserable great friendshippe must not bee sought for at Court nor any moderate enmitie this is the cause that wise men breake with no body ill will and hatred are but sad plaints the fruite they beare is alwayes bitter it yieldes neither pleasure nor profit if it bee not that of amendment of manners Vsynoque sapere oportet id erit coeâ—uÌ„ accrrimuÌ„ Cic. because the enemy may not lay hold vpon the life or fortune of him or overthrow or ruine him But Seianus should not enter to the Senate when he saw that Macro brought him no letters providence which hath his eye euery where and which is an assured buckler against fortune failed him he should haue retired himselfe when he had an inckling of what Tiberius wrote in this letter and had beene followâ—d by them of his faction the rest would Iudge his power by his courage but finding nothing to be expressely against him he beleeued it to bee nothing but the vapours of his way-ward disposition Presumption despiseth suretie of his distrust and vnequalnesse and that there was none so bold in the company as to offend him The Consul Regulus calleth him he riseth not not for pride Words of CoÌ„mand are very harsh to them that are not accustomed to obey for hee was much humbled but because hee was not accustomed to obey nor to bee commanded hee calles him the first and second time and reaching him his hand saith Seianus come hither Call you mee replyed Seianus the Consul saying yes Seianus advanced himselfe then Laco Captaine of the Watch goes before him and all the Tribunes encompasse him that hee may not scape Decretum vt 15 Cal. vtriusque necis die per omnes annos donuÌ„ Joui sacrantur Tac. The day of this memorable stroake was the Eighteenth of October It is knowne for that Tiberius ordained that the Fifteenth of the Calends of Nouember should bee solemnized at Rome as well for the death of Seianus as that of Agrippina if we would remarke the yeare it was the yeare of the foundation of Rome VII C. LXXXV of the Empire of Tiberius the Eighteenth and from the birth of IESVS CHRIST 34. There was no danger to goe speedily to his tryall nor to begin his processe with his execution S. C. actum vt poena damnatâ—rum in decimâ— semâ—â—d em differetur Suet. for the Law of tenne dayes was not then made All his life had beene a course of Insolency pride violence and fury Dion saith that in one day hee was Arrested Condemned and Executed and by the shortnesse of the time wee Iudge of the facility of proceedings which were at pleasure they gaue them such delay or dispatch as they pleased they haue made the processe of Lentulus in confederate of Catiline in two dayes that of Clentulus held out a long time Seianus was dispatched in one Morning Aristotle disposed of the morning in studying of Philosophy that was ergon of the afternoone in Eloquence by ergon The day of serious affaires ended at Mid-day what was done after dinner was as much as out of worke and thinges agreeable and easie rather then toylesome and painefull and the Trumpet which serued the Romanes for a Clocke hauing stroake the houre of tenne there was no beginning of a new Relation Memnius did not put the letters of the Emperour to Consulation and that deceiued Seianus who trusted to his friends for if hee had done so diuersitie of opinions would marre the businesse for length of discourse would loose time and dispatch must haue beene vsed that the faction of Seianus might not stirre But to shunne the blame of doing all himselfe hee commanded a Senatour whom hee knew to bee a good Citizen and well affectioned to Tiberius to deliuer his opinion Dion nameth him not The Consul demanding the aduice of the Senatour he spake these words the same man spoake these words The present occasion Fathers to conscript is of so great consequence that according to the resolution you will take the Common-wealth is either shaken or confirmed and we should bee traytors to our Country The Magistrate that discouers a conspiracie and shewes himself fearfull to remedie it is as culpable as the offendors theÌ„selues Plat. vngratefull to our Prince and vniust to our selues if wee did not vse sinceritie and fidelitie Caesar represents vnto vs with one hand the mischiefe and with the other the remedie the mischiefe the coniuration of Seianus The Remedie the imprisonment of Seianus I make no question but the evill is greater in his knowledge then hee lets vs to vnderstand in his letters but I thinke the remedie more extreame then hee hath considered The custodie of Illustrious persons were given to Magistrates Lentulus was in the keeping of Lent Spencer Cethagus of Q. Conisicus Statilius of C. Cesar Ceparius of On. Terent. there is no securitie of the person of Seianus in remitting him to a Magistrate who would take charge of him nor to the Guards he Commands them nor in committing him to a priuate house hee would not remaine there any long time or what suretie to Caution in that estate that matters are But a Prison is onely for slaues there is not any for a Romane Citizen nor for a Consul or Senatour and much lesse for him who commanded the people the Senate and the Consuls The first prison was built by Aucu Martius or Tarquinius T. Liu. Our Fathers would forsake their Sepulchers to defend this priuiledge the onely token of our ancient libertie for they esteemed that to tye a Romane Citizen was a great offence Facinus vinci Ciuem Romanum scelus verberari parracidium â—tcan Cic to beate him a Crime to kill him a parracide the prison is holden as
Sometimes the Senate reporteth to the Prince what they haue decreed Macro spoke the word to the Consul it was Tiberius will he should die there needed no other coÌ„mandement nor to send him the aduice of the Senate it was necessarie for the state and though hee had not entred culpable to the prison his quality permitted not he should depart innocent the Iudges cannot do amisse when they obey the commandment of the Prince who viewes his affaires with another eye and with another affection then his Officers The Iudges had taken an oath to Iudge according to their conscience Damnaturi Iurant nihil se precibus dare Sen. P. Neither the Consuls nor the Praetor gaue their vote at all but recollected those of the others The number of the Senators was great Cicero reckoned 75. against Piso An expectem duÌ„ te Septuaginta quinque tabellae diripiant Cic. It was diminished vnder the Emperors and by the Edict of Augustus there needed but 40. to frame a Sentence They deliuered their opinions eyther by voyce or by writing in a little Table which they kept in a Boxe or by silence and gesture as at this day by the Hat or Cap a signe of consent or by passing away those of one side and drawing themselues together against the aduerse partie this they called to goe on one foote Sometimes in notorious crimes they cryed Hostis Hostis Here there was no other but one voyce Let Seianus dye let his Posterity dye let his memory dye and his goods be confiscate The Senators were so provoked that it is certain that those who knew the advantage they had aboue others as Albutius in speaking loude remained altogether mute to gaine the fauour of the Prince Albutius in aâ—tercatione vires suas nouerat Sen. P. especially those who had most depended on the will of Seianus and doubted not a whit but that which they spake amongst the people that had nothing to loose NunquaÌ„ si quod mihi credit amaui Hunc homineÌ„ Iuuen. Seianus his friends shewed theÌ„selues most passionate against him they might speake amongst the Senators who esteemed them for lost who were now his friends Those were the most sharpe and faid that if Cesar had Clemency hee ought to reserue it for men not to vse it towards Monsters If the Senate had not beene zealous to conserue the glory of his gentlenesse in detestation of horrible punishments they had caused him to vndergoe that of Paricides they had seared vppe his fundament they had put shooes with hot burning Coales vpon his feete or had sowed him in a sacke with a Dog a Cocke an Ape and a Viper wicked liuing Creatures companions of a wicked man afterwards they would haue sent him to the riuer in a Waggon drawne with two blacke Oxen for a note of the enormity and foulnesse of the Crime In alijs gloriari licet nulâ—i gentium placuisse poenas T. Liu. But there was neuer any Common-wealth more curious then that of the Romanes to conserue the ancient glory of gentlenes and faire carriage Metius Suffetius for his Treason was drawne in pieces by foure Horses Supplicium exempli parum memoris legam Romanorum T. Liu. All the people turned away their eyes from such a horror This was the first and the last punishment of that severitie which had made the Iudges forget that the lawes and punishments had been ordained not for Tygers or for ravenous Beares but for men We must represent this execution of the Iudgement against Seianus In his Iudgement it was obserued Quo referente quo deceruente quo primum assentiente in like sort as the other but that this was done with more pompe through the occasion and for example sake and with more diligence and more Guards for securitie and that more of the Magistrates were present at it Heere may be found that summarily which wee might seeke for in diuers places and which is reported diuersly and confusedly The Iudgement being signed by him who had made relation of the Acts and the Letters of the Emperour Carnifex non modo foro sed etiam coelo hoc ac spiritu prohibetur Cic. by him who had first opened the opinion which was pursued and by the Consull who decreed that which was resolued they sent to finde out an Executioner who by the law of the Censors might not dwell within the Citie The Trumpet assembled together the people it sounded before the gates of the Temples before the house of the condemned person Peruersam induit Magistratus vestem Sen. in the publike places The Consull or the Praetor mounted vpon his throne and disrobed himselfe of his Purple garment or put it on backwards or tooke a blacke one as in a sad and sorrowfull accident yet notwithstanding without shewing in his countenance either meagernesse or choller Lex non irascitur sed constituit Sen. Fiâ— a Praecone silentium Sen. but retaining the decency and grauity of the Law which is neuer angry with any man The condemned person is brought forth the Hinshers command silence the Consull pronounceth the Iudgement which is written in the little Tablet Quibus animaduertere in damnaâ—os necesse est non dicuâ—t occide non morere sed lege age â—rude itatem imperij verbo â—â—tiore subducunt Sen. Noviâ— post terga ligantur manus Sen. and turning himselfe towards the Executioner said to him Doe according to the Law or more plainly Goe on Hee abstained from sorrowfull speeches kill him binde him hang him and was no more moued then if hee had commanded one of his seruants to tread vpon a Scorpion or a Worme The Executioner tyed his hands behinde his back the Trumpets sounded whilst he prepared the punishment and that the condemned person disposed himselfe to death The time was not left altogether at his discretion Nero neuer allowed but one houre for a man to make himselfe fit to receiue the deadly stroake Adhibentur legitima verba canitur ex altera parte classicum Sen. As at Funerals there vseth to be Instruments which sound with sad and mournfull tunes with Cornets for the great ones or with Flutes for the meaner sort and this they call a Harmony in like manner at Executions the Trumpets sounded the battaile as the alarme or the bonteselle to goe to death Quisnam delator Quibus iudicijs quo teste probauit Nihil horum verbosa grandis Epistola venit A Capris bene habet nil plus interrogo Iuven. During this the people being astonished at a Iudgment so soone done demanded the cause one asketh for what crime is hee condemned who is his accuser what complices what witnesses nothing of all this saith another A great and a long letter is come from Caprea saith a third that is enough wee must know no more all goes well The forme is not expressed other then that which Dion speaketh and the word which he
vseth signifieth that hee was condemned or executed This is certaine that they found out no new manner of punishment for him When any one was condemned to punishment according to the manner of the ancients that was to banishment the ciuill death of a Roman Citizen Supplicium more maiorum Tac. The Gallowes the Impalement the Crosse the casting to Beasts la hart the beheading were to slaues and men of no account Sunt paenae legibus constitutae quibus fine iudicum saevitia temporum infamia supplicia decernuntut Tac. Turpeis proditores hostesque publici imponantur Sen. It was a long time agoe said Paetus Thraseas to Nero since any man spake at Rome of the Hangman or of strangling the Lawes haue ordained punishments which punish the crimes without infamy for the times without cruelty for the Iudges Traitors Rebels enemies of the Commonwealth take their leape from the Tarpeian Rocke Manlius was throwne downe headlong from a great height vpon the Rocke and hee had as Plutarke saith Locus idem in vno homine eximiae gloriae monumentum paenae vltimae suit T. Liv. the Capitoll for a witnesse of his most valorous deeds and of his greatest calamity this punishment was awarded him for hauing attempted against the Commonwealth A punishment of all the most fearefull because the Rocke was sharpe of an extreame height the midst and sides sticking out with points like to staies Moles abscissa in profundum frequentibus asperata saxis Sen. and if the bodies lighted vpon them they were bruised or rudely repulsed there was exceeding horror in the very sight of them and he that once tooke this leape was sure he should neuer take it againe They also cut off the heads of Offendors not with an Axe or Hatchet as anciently but with a Sword after the ciuill warre and this kinde of punishment was so new that a Curtizan being at the Table of the Proconsull Flaminius Nondum caput erat ense rotare Lucan and saying that shee had neuer seene it he caused a prisoners head to be strucke off by the Hangman Vt iste cum amica coenaret iucundius homo occisus est Sen. Valerius Antius gaue the like contentment to a Lady which hee loued Behold these iolly Magistrates which iest with the liues of men and with the authority of the Lawes to content their cruell curiosity one of a Dame of Plaisance Maiestas laesa si ex â—unti Proconsuli meretrix non summouetur Sen. the other of a Harlot whose name was so odious that if the Hinsher had met her in the passage to the Senate house and had not chased her away he had offended against the dignity of his Office Seianus had not his head strucken off that punishment was too gentle in a choler so extreame and publike Iuuenall saith Sejanus ducitur unco spectandus gaudentomnes quae labra quis illi vultus erat Iuven. that he being drawn through the Citie with a long hooke the people admired his great head and his great lippes I imagine that hee was strangled in prison for that was the most ordinary punishment and Tiberius vsed it After hee had caused Agrippina to be put to death at Pandatria Iactauit Caesar quod non laqueo strangulata neque in Gemonias proiecta foret Tac. hee vaunted that he had done her the fauour to giue command that she should not be strangled and desired that the Senate would thanke him His three poore children were carried to prison his Daughter promised to the Sonne of Claudius was defloured at the foot of the Gallowes by the Hangman Puella a carnisice iuxta laqueum compressa Tac. because it was not permitted to put to execution one that was a Virgin Dion saith that shee was slaine by the people Tacitus beleeued that his Sonne knew what he would doe Puella adeo nescia vt crebro interrogaret quod ob delictum quo traheretur neque facturam vltra posse se puerili verbere moneri Tac. The Gemonian staires in the 3 Region of Rome which was the hill Auentin and the fortune which he ranne Hee had a Daughter so yong and of so little knowledge that shee ceased not still to say What haue I done whether will they carry mee who will pardon me I will doe so no more there needes nothing but rods to make me more wise The Hangman tooke these two by the throat and strangled them The bodies of them so slaine were tyed to the Gemonian steppes which bare that name either of the Inuentor or of the groanes which were heard there They were like the Pilleries the shew place of the executions where they fasten the Portraits and Statues of the condemned persons The Conciergery the Court where they pleaded the Treasury where they registred the Arrests were built neere together the stories in the same place and at the foot thereof Tyber where they cast in headlong the bodies Quo die illum Senatus deduxerat populus in frusta diuisit Sen. Seneca and Dion doe not agree in this the one saith that they drew his body about three whole dayes and the other saith that the same day that the Senate had accompanied him to the Senate the same day the people cut him in peeces Ex eo nihil interfuit quod Carnifex traheret Sen. and that of a person in whom the gods and men had all that which could be great and precious there remained nothing for the Hangman that he could catch hold on with his hooke and draw it into Tyber To accord them I suppose that after he was executed they set him on the staires purposely that the people might see him and that in this fury they might draw him from thence at that instant and hauing haled him vpon the the banke of the Riuer might cut him in peeces and it might be in 14 parts so many Regions as the Citie had and that these peeces were drawne three whole dayes through the streets All kinds of outrages were done to this miserable body some through inhumanity others through reuenge most for example and all to th' end it might not be beleeued that either they had loued or known him Iuuenall relateth the discourse which then was at Rome for euery one gaue the full careere to his Iudgement Behold here the Prose of those Verses I conceiue that manie shall dye Perituros audio multos Nil dubium magna est fornacuâ—a Dum iacâ—t in ripa calcemus Caesaris hostem c. no man needes doubt thereof the furnace wherein they are to bee cast is great enough I met the other day my poore Brutidius neere the Temple of Mars he was very pale and astonished I doubt not but if Aiax were called he would slay him with his owne hand But to the end that wee may not be taken to be friends of Seiâ—nus and that wee perish without defence let vs goe quickly runne to