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
personages of the Roman Empire not hearing them in their defence contrary to a Law which himself first made proving himself thereby truly to answer his name being as was said of him verè Pertinax verè Severus so that Silenus might well say in Iuliani Caesaribus I dare not speak against him I am so terrified with his inexorable cruelty 10. Antiochenus saith he was a great Souldier but his covetousnesse transported him beyond his valour He was more covetous and cruell then any of his Predecessors Tristan When he warred in Britain he commanded an universall slaughter of his enemies in these verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let none escape your bloudy rage With terrour let all die Spare not the mother nor the babe Which in her womb doth lie Having taking Albinus prisoner he commanded him to be slain caused his body to be laid before his palace rode over him and at last cast his mangled corps the stench whereof could not be endured into the river Rhâ—sâ—e with the carkases of his wife and children Having compelled Nigers Captaines whose children he kept as pledges to betray Nigers affaires when he had attained his ends he slew them and their children He gained his sur-name Britannicus by building or at least repairing the Picts-wall between England and Scotland 132. miles in length against the incursions of the Scots and Picts At every miles end was a tower and pipes of brasse in the wall betwixt every tower conveied the least noise from garison to garison without interruption so newes of an approching enemy was quickly spred over the borders and occasionall provision made for resistance There were also resting places for the Areans who were appointed by the Ancients saith Amm. Marcellinus to serve for foot-posts to run as occurrents fell between the Officers and carry them word of the least stirring Since the wall is ruined and that way of dispatch taken away many inhabitants thereabout hold land by a tenure in Cornage as Lawyers speak being bound by blowing a horn to discover the irruption of the enemy Cambden's Britannia ubi videsis plura It is reported by Spartian that in his passage to York a little before his death a Black-Moor with a Cypresse garland on his head did meet Severus who bid him as unfortunate to be put out of his sight and saluted him thus Totum fuisti totum vicisti jam Deus esto victor At his entrance into the City he was by errour of a rusticall Sooth-fayer who guided him brought into the Temple of Bellona and black beasts being appointed for sacrifice did of themselves follow him to his palace Which things howsoever they fell our accidentally yet were interpreted as ominous by others in respect of the event While he lay sick of the gout at York the souldiers saluting his son Bassianus Emperour he arose and caused the principall of them to be brought before him and when they prostrate craved pardon he laying his hand on his head said Sentitisne tandem caput imperare non pedes Spartian c. 18. A little before his death he caused his urne to be brought before him and taking it into his hand said Thou shalt contain him whom the world could not Xiphiline He said to his Sons on his death-bed Agree among your selves enrich the souldiers and contemne all others Id. ibid. In relation to which union he bade them read in Salust Mycypsa's dying speech to his sons in which there is this expression Concordiâ res parvae cresâ—unt discordiâ magnae dilabuntur Spartian c. 21. By his pernicious advice to his sons to study onely the enriching of the souldiery he made a breach in the impenetrable wall of the Roman power as the Greek Epigrammatist calls it For after Severus his raigne for 30 lawfull Emperours the Roman Empire saw in the space of 150 yeares more then an 100 Tyrants The discipline of the vertuous Emperours occasioning the wicked ones to mount on the throne As the tragicall ends of young Gordian of Alexander Severus of Posthumus Probus and Aurelian manifest Tristan He ended his life with these words Turbatam Rempublicam ubique accepi pacatam etiam Britannis relinquo senex pedibus aeger firmum Imperium antoninis meis relinquens si boni erunt imbecillum si mali Spartian c. 23. Before he dyed he was so pained in all his body but especially in his feet that not able to endure the torment he called for poyson which being denied he greedily glutted himself with grosse meates and not able to digest them dyed of a surfet Sex Aurel. Vict. The imprecation of Plautius Quintillus had the like effect upon Severus as that of Severianus had upon Hadrian Xiphilin Some say he dyed rather through grief for his son Caracalla's wickednesse then of any other malady He lived 65 yeares 9 moneths and 25 dayes and reigned 17 yeares 8 moneths and 3 dayes He was buried in a place near York which to this day is called Severs-hill It was said of him by the Senate that either he should not have been born or not have dyed having done so much mischief in pursuit of greatness and so much good when he was established Spartian c. 18. He married Martia and after her death Iulia Domna because he found by her nativity she should be matcht with a King though he foresaw not by his art his destiny to marry a whore whom yet he bare with through excesse of affection though she was guilty of a conspiracy Spartian c. 3. and 18. He was deifyed after his death by the Senate After the death of Charles the 9 of France his image was laid in a rich bed in triumphant attire with the Crown upon his head and the collar of the order about his neck and 40 dayes at ordinary houres dinner and supper was served in with all accustomed ceremonies as sewing water grace carving c. all the Cardinals Prelats Lords Gentlemen and Officers attending in far greater solemnity then if he had been alive Now this I confesse was a piece of flattery more then needed but not comparable to that of the Romans in making their Emperours Gods which they might well have conceived was neither in the power of the one to give nor of the other to receive Dr. Hakewill in his Apology In Severus his reigne the world was so loose that 3000 were indicted for Adultery Id. ib. When Julia blamed the wife of Argentoâ—oxus a Northern Britain because her country people accompanied promiscously 10 or 12 men having 2 or 3 Women common among them she not ignorant of the Roman incontinency replied We accompany openly with the best but vile persons defile you secretly Xiphiline Dion writeth that in Severus his time it rained silver at Rome in Augustus his forum O pluviam salutarem supparem illi quâ Iupiter ad Danaen suam penetravit sed nimis hic infâ—equentem inquies Sed avaritiam tuam effervescentem infusâ
hac frigidâ confutabo Rore illo argenteo addit Dion nummos aliquot aereos oblivi mansit color 3 dies 4 to quicquid oblitum fuerat evanuit Fromondus Metâ—orolog l. 5. c. 6. Art 3. Severus caused the 5. persecution it being the Devils policy to employ especially men noted for morall honesty and abilities to massacre Gods Saints that the world might believe that those could not choose but be most abomiable whom such wise and pious men were so earnest to extinguish D r. Prideaux Impiger egelido movet arma Severus ab Istrâ— Vt parricidae regna adimat Didio Punica origo illi sed qui virtute probaret Non obstare locum quum valet ingenium Ausonius PESCENNIUS NIGER And CLODIUS ALBINUS Usurpers ENgaged both in the war against Septimius Severus with like unfortunate event being both conquered and having their heads set upon a pole Niger had his name à nigra cervice saith Spartian in his life Albinus was so called quod exceptus utero contra consuetudinem puerorum qui nascuntur solent rubere esset candidissimus Capitoliâ—us in his life who confirmeth his relation with this passage in an Epistle of Cejonius Posthumius Father of Albinus to Aelius Bassianus then Proconsul of Africk Filius mihi natus est ita candidus statim toto corpore ut linteamen quo exceptus est vinceret Quare susceptum eum Albinorum Familâ—ae quae mihi tecum communis est dedi Albini nomine imposito Niger was overthrown at the first encounter of his party with Severus through the treachery of Aemilianus his General as it was thought and in the next fight in which he engaged personally was totally defeated near the Bay of Issus where Alexander the Great vanquished Darius Albinus warred with Severus for withholding the copartner-ship which he promised to Albinus whom he feared because he was a valiant Souldier whereas he slighted Julian and Niger who were negligent and luxurious Choyce Observations Of BASSIANUS CARACALLA And ANTONINUS GETA Brethren BAssianus was so called from Julius Bassianus his Grand-father by the Mothers side and his Father named him Antoninus out of respect to the Antonini whose memory was honoured by the Romans He was called Caracalla from a new fashioned cassock he wore reaching down to his ancles He was a hopefull youth endeared himself to the people by weeping and turning away his eyes when condemned persons were cast to wild beasts which tenderness Baronius thinketh proceeded from his Christian nurse Euhodia yet after he was so changed he seemed not the same Spartian c. 12. Knowing well that he could not make himself seem more beautifull then he was he would take the advantage to appear more terrible affecting a cruell and furious countenance Tristan in the 2 part of his Commentaires Historiques See the 12. 18. 21. 26. 29. 31. Medails of him there He attempted to kill his Father put to death the Physicians for not hastening his death as he commanded slew his Father in law Plautian his wife Plautillae and her brother Plautus Antipâ—ter the famous Sophister of that age Cilo his Tutor and Euhodus his Foster-father sparing not any who either honoured his father or was honoured by him When at the Circensian sports where himself was a spectator the people cast some scoffe at a chariotier which he favoured he taking it as an affront to himself suddenly commanded his souldiers to rush among the multitude and kill all who had scorned the chariot-driver Upon this command it being impossible to find out the delinquents in so great a throng none confessing himself guilty the souldiers spared none whom they light upon but either slew them or took away what they had for a ransome Herodtan l. 3. c. 6. He put down Aristotles Schooles burnt his books saying he conspired against Alexander Xiphiline Having seen the body of Alexander the Great he commanded his followers to call him Alexander and Antoninus Magnus and by flatterers was brought to a fond conceit that he walked like Alexander with an awfull countenance and bent his head to the left shoulder and whatever he observed in the countenance of Alexander he imitated to the life and perswaded himself that he had the same lineaments and proportions Sext. Aur. Victor vide Schottum I have seen divers ridiculous Images which had one entire Body and one Head which had 2. half-faces to wit Alexanders and Antonines saith Herodian l. 4. c. 8. He was excessively given to Adultery while able yet most severely punished it in others Excerpta Peiresci p. 755. Being unable to weare true armour through his weakness of body he wore counterfeit harnesse that none might attempt to assassinate him Excerpta Peiresci Fuit ejus immanitatis ut its praecipuè blandiretur quos ad necem destinabat ut ejus magis blandâ—mentum timeretur quà m ir acundia He would shew courtesy when he intended mischief so that his kindness was more feared then his anger Spartian in Geta c. 7. Having miserably impoverished the people his mother reproved him to whom he shewing his naked sword replied As long as I have this I will not want Xiphiline Where he wintered or but intended to winter he caused Amphitheaters and Cirques for publique games to be erected and within a while to be taken down again Id. ibid. He learned the vices of 3 Nations from whom he drew his original of the French vanity timorousness and idleness of the Africans roughness and wildness of the Syrians cunning and malice Excerpta Peiresci He preferred Hannibal Sylla and Tiberius before other commanders for their cruelty in which he exceeded his father and all the preceding Emperours He confessed that in all his life he never learned to do good Xiphiline When Maximinus the younger yet a child got up into Caracall ' as Chariot and was hardly drawn thence there were some who admonished Caracalla to beware of him to whom he answered Longè est ut mihi succedat iste Capitolinus in Maximino juniore c. 4. Tiberius in like manner when he knew that Galba should be Emperour but not before old age said Vivat sanè quando id ad nos nihil pertinet Suetonius in Galba c. 4. He delighted more in Magicians and Juglers then in men of worth for seeing himself hated he told the Romans he could command his own security though not their love and therefore he lesse valued reproches or feared dangers by their disfavour Xiphiline Zonaras Yet Oppian who when banished by Severus wrote the Cynegeticks and after his decease dedicated that work to Caracalla was therefore recalled from exile and received a piece of gold for every verse in his Poem As Caligula having kild many French and Greeks bragged that he had conquered Gallo-Graecia so Caracalla having perfidiously slain a great number of Germans and Parthians usurped the titles of Germanicus and Parthicus Tristan in his parallel of Caracalla with Caligula Being incensed against the Alexandrians who traduced
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
himself through with his own sword and was a horrible spectacle to all beholders He dyed in the 32. year of his age saith Suetonius and 14. year of his reigne say Tacitus Clem. Alexand. Eusebius and Eutropius the very day of the year on which he had murdered his wife Octavia and by his death brought so great joy unto the people generally that the Commons wore caps to testifie their freedom recovered and ran sporting up and down throughout the City Some say that Nero is yet alive saith Baronius out of Sueton and Severus although he did thrust himself through with a sword yet some think that his wounds were healed and that he survived according to that in the Rev. 13. 3. and that he shall be Antichrist but Bellarmine himself saith It is a presumptuous folly to say that Nero shall be revived and received as Antichrist and Suarez calls it Anilem fabulam a foolish Fable Choyce Observations OF SULPITIUS GALBA SOme think his name Galba came by occasion of a Town in Spain which after it had been a long time in vain assaulted he at length set on fire with burning brands besmeared all over with Galbanum others because in a long sicknesse which he had he used continually Galbeum i. e. remedies lapped in wooll some again because he seemed very fat and such a one the French doth name Galba or contrariwise because he was slender as certain little wormes are called Galbae He succeeded Nero and his age being much despised there was great licentiousnesse and confusion whereupon a Senatour said in full Senate It were better to live where nothing is lawfull then where all things are lawfull He was of full stature his head bald his eyes gray and his nose hooked his hands and feet by reason of the Gout exceeding crooked in so much as he was not able to abide shooes on the one or to hold his Bookes with the other There was an excrescence or bunch of flesh in the right side of his body and it hung downward so much as it could hardly be tyed up with a truss or swathing band yet hee had a good wit though a deformed body like a good instrument in a bad case Being with generall applause and great good liking placed in state he behaved himself under expectation and though in most points he shewed himself a vertuous Prince yet his good Acts were not so memorable as those were odious and displeasant wherein he did amisse He obtained the Empire with greater favour and authority then he mannaged it when he was therein so that he overcame Nero by his good name and the good opinion men had of him and not through his own force and power Major privato visus dum privatus fuit omnium consensu capax Imperii nisi imperâsset He seemed more then a private man whilest he was private and by all mens opinions capable of the Empire had he never been Emperour Spem frustrate senex privatus sceptra mereri Visus es Imperio proditus inferior Fama tibi melior juveni sed justior ordo est Complacuisse dehinc displicuisse prius He lived in honourable fame and estimation in the reigne of five Emperours Alieno Imperio faelicior quà m suo He was in greater prosperity and lived more happily under the Empire of others then in his own His house was of ancient Nobility and great wealth He neither neglected his fame nor yet was ambitiously carefull of it of other mens money he was not greedy sparing of his own of the common a Niggard As he sacrificed within a publick Temple a Boy among other Ministers holding the Censer suddenly had all the haire of his head turned gray Some made this Interpretation of it that thereby was signified a change in the State and that an old man should succeed a young even himselfe in Nero's stead He was of a middle temperature neither to be admired nor contemned Magis extra vitia quà m cum virtutibus rather void of ill parts then furnished with good In the Palace Julius Atticus one of the Bill-men met him holding out a bloody sword in his hand with which he cryed aloud he had slain Otho My friend quoth Galba who bad thee A man of rare vertue saith Tacitus to keep in awe a licentious Souldier whom neither threats could terrifie nor flattering speech corrupt and abuse thence it was a usuall speech through the Camp Disce Miles militare Galba est non Getulicus Learne Souldiers service valorous Galba is here and not Getulicus For eight yeares space before hee was Emperour hee governed a Province of Spain variably and with an uneven hand at first sharp severe violent afterward he grew to be slothfull carelesse idle Being intreated for a Gentleman condemned that he might not dye the death of ordinary Malefactors he commanded that the Gallowes should be dealbata whited or coloured for him Quasi solatio honore poenam levaturus as if the painted Gibbet might adde solace and honour to his Death When there was question made of an heifer before him whose it should be arguments and witnesses being brought on both sides he so decreed it that she should be led with her head covered to the place where she was wont to be watered and there being uncovered he judged her his to whom she went of her own accord Among the liberall Sciences he gave himself to the study of the Civil Law He cryed to his Souldiers Ego vester vos mei I am wholly devoted unto you and you are wholly devoted unto me His severity which was wont to be highly commended by the voice of the Souldiers was now displeasant to them who were generally weary of the ancient Discipline and so trained up by Nero 14. yeares that now they loved their Emperours no lesse for their vices then once they reverenced them for their vertue◠His hardnesse toward his Souldiers caused him to fall for a large Donative being promised to them in Galba's name and they requiring if not so much yet so much at least as they were wont to receive he wholly refused the suit adding withall Legi à se militem non emi That his manner had ever been to choose and not to buy his souldiers Vox pro Republica honesia ipsi anceps A saying no doubt fit for a great Prince in a more vertuous age not so in those seasons for him who suffered himself to be sold every houre and abused to all purposes He was killed by the wiles of Otho in the Market-place the Souldiers flying upon him and giving him many wounds he held out his Neck unto them and bade them strike hardily if it were to do their Country good He dyed in the 73. year of his age and seventh moneth of his Empire He reigned seven moneths and so many dayes Aurel.