experience whiche thou hast in this case for as thou haste no brothers either hast béene married to haue any children no more knowest thou what difference of loue is beetwixte the one and the other For I giue to vnderstande that without all comparison wee fathers doe more loue the thwartes of oure children then the seruice of oure brethren The elder brother whiche was named Bassianus changed his name and commaunded all men to call him Antoninus Aurelius in the memorie of Antoninus Pius and of Marcus Aurelius because these Princes were verye glorious in their liues and in their Common wealthes no lesse beloued When Seuerus returned from the warres of Parthia his sonnes Bassianus and Geta were then men and for that hee vnderstoode that the Romanes were thereof then very doubtfull hée requested his sonnes that notwithstandinge the variaunce betwixte themselues they woulde bée in peace wyth the people but héerewith mighte hee not tame the condition of the young men either persuade them to be in friendshippe with the Romanes for as much as he soldered with his good woords so much did they escaÌ„dalize with their lewd woorkes Seuerus finding himselfe infected with infirmities compassed with enimies and his sonnes so euill inclined was alwayes sad pensiue melancholie and in a manner in despaire not onely doubting they would diminish the estate wherein he left them but also lose the honour which they did inherite Seuerus considering the daily complaints made of his sonnes in the Senate and the continual displeasures which they gaue him aduised to banishe them the vices and pleasures of Rome the one hee sent into Germanie the other into Panonia but if they were euil in his presence they were much worse in his absence for that aforetime by their subiection they absceined from some vices but afterwards with libertie they committed all mischiefe The parents that with their owne hands and in their owne houses may not frame vertue in their children will hardly atteine it at the hands of others for that vertue is not obteyned in seeking straunge countries but in the amendment of old errours CHAP. XV. ¶ Of a fauoured seruaunt of Seuerus named Plautianus JN the dayes of the Empire of the good Marcus Aurelius there came from Africa vnto Rome a gentlemaÌ„ named Plautianus poore blind in sight craftie and subtile in condition and being as hee was mutinous and quarelling and wheresoeuer he went mouing some debate Marcus Aurelius commaunded him to be banished Rome for he was a prince of such patience that he suffered not in his common wealth a man that was vitious or any young maÌ„ that was quarellous Plautianus being banished Rome departed vnto the garrisons of Illyria and from thence also being caste as a seditious person repaired at last into the company of Seuerus of whome he was very well handled and also honoured and in all thinges placed aboue all men some said that it was done of Seuerus for that hée was of his countrie some for kindred and some durst say that hée serued not onely for martiall affayres but also to do him seruice in the chamber After that Seuerus came to be Emperour he gaue so great credite vnto Plautianus and so strictly did follow his counsell that he neither read letter but hée did sée it or signed commission that hée liked not either gaue any reward that he craued not In the Senate he was placed in the most honourable seate when he came forth into Rome all the Gentlemen did accompanie him when he came out of his house all Embassadours did attend on him in time of warre all captaines sued vnto him if there were playes and pastimes they were alwayes represented before his palace if they had to giue or receiue any money all did passe through his hands in such wise that it was neuer séene in Rome that any man without the title of an Emperour enioyed so great portion of the Empire Plautianus naturally was proud ambitious couetous and cruell and the more to shewe his fiercenesse crueltie magnificence he alwayes had a drawne sword borne before him and when he passed through the streats hee would that none should dare to behold him in the face but cast downe their eyes to the ground and when hée trauelled vpon the way he had alwayes one that went before to giue warning to all persons to giue way where he should passe in such wise that hee neither would behold straungers either be séene of the countrie natiues Seuerus gaue in reward vnto Plautianus the goods of al persons that were condemned and confiscate in the Empire and as hée was of a gréedie and couetous nature so they were infinite that he caused to be slaine in the Empire not because they had so deserued but for their goods which they possessed The elder sonne of Seuerus named Bassianê° being come to ripe vnderstaÌ„ding and perceiuing how al things went was greatly gréeued to se Plautianus haue so great power in the gouernement of the common wealth and Plautianus presently finding the hatred of Bassianus practised with Seuerus that Bassianus should marrie with his only daughter and incoÌ„tinently the elder sonne of Seuerus was married vnto the daughter of Plautianus Plautianus beholding himselfe not onely the alone fauoured but also father in lawe with Seuerus it séemed vnto him but a trifle to be Lord of the whole world and most truly Plautianus in heaping honour vpon honour and estate vpon estate bredd his owne destruction for that men neuer surfet to eate that which is necessarie but in eating and drinking more then the stomache will beare Though Plautianus daughter was very faire of good condition and brought with her a most rich dowrie yet did her husband Bassianus most cruelly hate her which he discouered both in woord and déede affirming her to be the daughter of a base and vile person and that hée would one day kill both her and her father and yet not therewithall satisfied they did neither sléepe in one chamber or dine at one table Bassianus aunsweared certaine Romanes that requested him to bee friend with his wife and to honour his father in law I giue you Romanes to vnderstand that I did not marrie but my father did marrie mée which I would not haue done if he had coÌ„maunded me but to defloure the daughter and enioy the treasure of her father and since it is done let her séeke an husband for I will séeke a wife Plautianus vnderstanding what his sonne Bassianus had said and that his daughter was not married but dishonoured that Seuerus was old sicke and that Bassianus held him not as a father in lawe but as an enimie determined to reuenge that iniurie either els to loose both life and honour in the enterprise Bassianus informed his father Seuerus of many tyrannies which Plautianus committed in the common wealth and Plautianus also complained howe euill hée vsed his daughter and thus they went on coÌ„firming their enimitie and giuing euery day new passions
and an husband for Sabina When as Adrian had presented many giftes and offered many seruices vnto Plotina partely for the great loue that she did beare him and for that she had married him vnto Sabina she made him answere Adrian according to the good will which I beare thée it is smal which I haue done for thée in respect of that which I meane to doe for that I may doe little with my Lord Traiane but as he hath chosen thée to be his nephew he shall also adopt thée to be his sonne After Adrian had obteined Plotina for his good Ladie Sabina for his wife and Surus for his friend he little estéemed the enimitie of Seuerianus his enimie bycause in Traianes house all did honour him as one in fauour did serue him as a maister CHAP. IIII. Of the loue that the Emperour Traiane had vnto Adrian BY the marriage that Adrian had with Sabina néece vnto the Emperour Traiane there followed him not a litle but very much profite for besides that he was most in fauour with the Emperour and verie well liked of the Empresse Plotina the greatest parte of the affaires of the Empire was dispatcht by his handes Adrian presuming of great eloquence presented vppon a day before the Senate a certaine pastorall enterlude whereat the Senatours and Oratours did greatly laugh not onely of that whiche he sayde but also of the base style wherein he did speake the same He gaue him selfe to the Latine toung and to the Art of an Oratour wherin he grew so profound that they gaue to him as great glory for his speache as vnto Cicero for his writing In the first warres that Traiane had with the Datians Adrian was made Questor that is to say he had charge to prouide victuals and furniture for the campe whiche was an office amongest the armies of great honour and of much confidence for he had both the treasure in his custodie and the payment of the campe When Traiane was eyther sicke or not at leasure on his behalfe Adrian went to the Senate but the Senators although they did admit him to speake they did not permit him to excéede or to take the chiefe place for it was a lawe amongest them much vsed that being assembled in the Senate none should presume to clap his handes to cause silence or cōmaūd the doore to be shut neyther enter being clad with a long gowne or to place him selfe in the highest seate but onely the Emperour Being notorious vnto all men that Adrian was priuate with the Emperour Traiane and in great fauour with Plotina his wife and therewithall that he was a man both prudent and politique and although in the Senate not permitted to the chiefest place yet all things were directed by his counsell in suche wise that at home all things were done as he thought good and abroade as he did commaund When it was knowne in Rome that the king of Datia eftsoones had rebelled Adrian presently persuaded Traiane in his owne person to go to that war and to leaue the enterprise to no other man wherein Adrian did followe and serue Traiane more then any other capteine and certainly did there so valiaunt and notable déedes that with Traiane he obteined fauour and aduaunced his person to great estimation Adrian being thus notified in the warres of Datia Traiane thought it méete to commende vnto him the seconde legion which was vnder the protection of the Goddesse Minerua and in such manner did gouerne the same and gaue his souldiers so great courage that he was the man that did most grieue the enimie and least did feare perilles The thing moste estéemed of the Emperour Traiane was a Diamond which Nerua had giuen him this Diamond Traiane gaue Adrian in the time of the warres of Datia which was so kept and estéemed of Adrian that vntill the day of his death it was neuer séene off from his finger The warres of Datia being finished Traiane returned to Rome leauing Adrian as Pretour of that Prouince Sussurus and Seuerianus being consuls He had not long gouerned Datia when Adrian receiued from the Senate newe prouision to passe into Panonia where he was not only gouernour in causes of iustice but also had charge of all martiall affaires bycause certaine barbarous Danubians had entered those Prouinces sacking and spoyling greate countries Adrian being arriued into Panonia did in short time expell the enimies visited the countries refourmed the armies chasticed the Romaine officers and founde by infourmation that they were great friendes of idlenesse and no enimies of robberie The fame being come to Rome of the commendable gouernement of Adrian in Panonia in the yeare following in the Kalends of Ianuarie the Senate did elect him Consul and truely as they were many that did alowe this election so they were not few that did resist it but in fine the procurers had more force in their diligence then the malice of them which resisted CHAP. V. Of the care and solicitude of Adrian to obteine the Empire IN all Kingdomes and Prouinces where Adrian was eyther Pretour or Questour presently he made diligent inquisition if there were any Magicians of Soothsayers and if he founde any he did persuade them with swéete wordes and riche rewardes to be certified if after the death of Traiane the Empire should come vnto his handes for that he was not onely desirous to obteine the same but carefull to know the issue thereof Being resident in the Prouince of Mesia he was aduertised by a Mathematike that he should be Emperour and demaunding howe and by what meanes he vnderstoode thereof answered by a certaine friend which was not onely learned in the naturall courses but also did vnderstande the secretes of the immortall Gods. Although Adrian was resident in straunge Prouinces he was not slacke to serue the Empresse Plotina and to please the chamberleine Surus in such wise that if his enimies did thinke him farre off they found his seruice alwayes ready and at hande Nowe when Traiane was stricken in age and become sickly Adrian continued no lesse diligent to solicite Plotina and Surus to persuade the Emperour to adopt him for his sonne but on the other side the Consul Seuerianus Palma and Celsus and other his enimies did withstande whose diligence and malice did little profite bycause they did but discouer their intent and coulde not obteine their desire Eyther by the onely will of Traiane or by the importunitie of Plotina nor by the suite of Surus eyther by the merite of his owne person the Emperour Traiane determined to those Elius Adrian to be his sonne after his dayes to succéede him in the Empire for the Emperour had many kingdomes to giue but no sonne to whome he might leaue the same Before Traiane had elected Adrian he was long determined to make no assignment of any person to succéed him in the Empire but to haue vsed the order of Alexander the great who being demaunded whome he woulde assigne to
him to liue within the kingdome Adrian would not or else durst not make warres with the Parthians but gaue vnto Parsnapate the Seigniorie of certaine countries and Prouinces of Syria being vacant at that time as Lorde to inioy the fruites thereof and as Romaine Pretour to gouerne the people When Adrian had obteined the Empire presently he published and sayd vnto all men that he wold become a pitifull Prince and truly in some pitifull causes he did shew him selfe to be the sonne of Traiane but in some rigorous matters he séemed to be the brother of Nero. A certaine man named Bebius was Prefect in Rome who was contrarie vnto Adrian in all thinges that eyther touched his honour or profite and being counselled to kill Bebius for that he ceased not to be his aduersarie made answere I will not onely permit Bebius to liue but also the office of Pretour which hee helde but for a yeare I will confirme vnto him during his life Laberius and Frugius two Romaine Senatours were banished vnto the Isle of Pontus whom he commaunded to returne to their houses and their goodes to be restored them but the Consul Frugius being mutinous mouing commotion betwixt Adrian and the Senate he commaunded to be throwne aliue into Tyber and obteined no lesse honour in the executing of the one then in pardoning the other Vnto certaine Gentlemen of the armie that sayde vnto Adrian in times past that he should be Emperour he gaue double rewardes affirming that he gaue them not for their aduertisement but for their good will. CHAP. VII Of his entrie into Rome NOwe when Summer was come Adrian parted from Antioche to come to Rome and lefte for Preposite of Syria Catalius Seuerus and tooke his way throughe Illyria and determined to make warre with the Sarmatians which would not receiue the Ambassadours of peace Lucius Turbon that had béene Pretour tenne yeares in Mauritania came foorth to méete him vpon the waye with whome Adrian had great friendship being a young man and in house with his Lorde Traiane presently he made him Pretour of the Prouince of Datia and Panonia At that time Lucius Turbon was in Africa maister of the horsse men of whome Adrian was aduertised that he was verie riche and in greate power throughout the kingdome and that he had not obteined all that riches in the time of warre but by briberie in time of peace Adrian was not a little grieued of that which was sayde by Lucius Turbone bycause he was his friende and also seruaunt vnto Traiane but all this notwithstanding he applyed all that he had vnto the common treasure and disarmed him of his knighthoode As muche as Adrian did increase in potencie so much did his enimies increase in enuie in suche manner that they coulde neyther incline their harts to loue him eyther yeald their strēgth to serue him The case was thus that Palma Celsus Sobaius and Lucius Adrian going on hunting were determined in the middest of the chace to rid him of his life wherevpon they were agréed that in his swiftest pursuit of any wild beast they would attend him in the most thickest pace or track there vnder the colour to misse their leuell at the beast would shoote and kill the Emperour All these foure were men of noble bloud and rich in goods and were called Cōsulares bycause at other times they had bene Consuls but as their treason was discouered first by iustice they were beheaded before Adrian went on hunting Great was the murmuring and mutinie throughout all Rome when they vnderstoode howe Adrian had executed so cruell iustice vpon these foure Consulares or noble men partly for that they helde opinion that Adrian had raised that quarell againste them and partly for custome and manner for that fewe were the chastisements whiche the good Traiane did execute but great was the number that receiued pardon Adrian being aduertised that for the death of the foure Consulares all Rome was escandalized and that for a man reuenging and cruell his person was defamed determined with all spéede to come to Rome to excuse him selfe of that fault The affaires of Adrian stood not in so euill estate as vpon the way they gaue him aduertisement which did well appeare in that the Senate did offer him the triumph due vnto Traiane being cut off by death to inioy the same but Adrian refusing gaue order that the Image of Traiane shoulde be placed in the triumphant chariote to the ende that good Traiane shoulde not want a triumphe although but after his death Presently when Adrian came to Rome he went to visite the Sepulchre of his Lorde Traiane where his eyes did shed many teares and for him did offer vnto the Gods most sumptuous sacrifices All the Senate being ioyned and also all the most principal of the people vnto whome Adrian made a long oration wherin he gaue them to vnderstand of the state of the Empire and did excuse him selfe of the death of the aforesaide foure Consulares because the officers of the Senate had made searche and inquisition of the cause and the Pretors of the armies did execute the sentence The Senate did offer Adrian the title of Pater patriae but he would not receiue it affirming it to be one of the titles of his lord Traiane and since he had been a good father it were great reason he should proue a good sonne It was a custome in Rome and throughout all Italie that when their Princes came newely to gouerne the Empire that all cities and other people should furnishe him with a certeine summe of golde and siluer with the golde to make a crowne and the siluer for the seruice of his house and sometimes they did present so much golde to make the crowne that the remnant was sufficient to mainteine the warres Adrian refused not onely this seruice to be demaunded but also returned that which was brought him saying that his crowne should be riche when his subiectes should be in wealth The officers of the treasurie that is to saye suche as had the collection and kéeping of the masse of Rome had raised greate rentes daily inuenting newe manner of tributes in the common wealth which being knowen vnto Adrian he commaunded all newe impositions to be remoued from the common wealth and the inuentors thereof to be displaced from their offices Generally the Romains complained vnto Adrian of the dearth of victuals foorthwith he prouided for prouision of wheat from Sicyl wines from Candie and oyle from Spaine and further gaue such prices vnto the same and all other victuals that the poore might féede with the riche He did promise and sweare in the Senate to put no Senatour vnto death although he were culpable without the accused should first be heard and his cause considered by all the Senate and truely this othe did excuse Adrian of many executions and was no lesse occasion that the Senatours committed many faultes Princes haue to consider what they sweare
so the destinies did ordeine that he died which deserued to liue and that he liued which deserued to dye When in the presence of Marcus Aurelius talke was moued of Princes that had béene honourable and happye some praising Alexander that ouercame Darius others Scipio that subdued Haniball others Iulius Caesar that conquered Pōpeius others Augustus that defeated Marcus Antonius Marcus Aurelius made this aunswer I holde the Emperour Nerua more happie then all the rest and for no other cause but for that he adopted Traiane for his sonne in such wise that he elected whome he liked and not as I moste sorrowful that must take such as they haue giuen mee CHAP. III. ¶ Howe Commodus did inherite the Empire of his father Marcus Aurelius and of a certeine speech which he vsed vnto the Senate JN the xvi yere of the reigne of Marcus Aurelius and in the 63. yere of his age warre was raised in Panonia which at these dayes is otherwise named Hungarie in which warres the good Emperour woulde goe in his owne person leading also with him his sonne Commodus according vnto his accustomed manner that by the taste of trauels in the warres he should bende and yelde him selfe to conserue peace The Emperour in the greatest heate and furie of those martiall affaires was soudeinly striken with a deadly sicknesse and in fewe dayes depriued of his life Commodus being then in so tender yeares that he neither felt what he lost either the daunger wherin he stoode At the death of Marcus Aurelius his sonne Commodus was elected Prince and confirmed Caesar whereof procéeded but chiefely for affection they bare vnto his father that presently he was obeyed of all the armies as true Emperour notwithstanding they all suspected he should be the losse of their common wealth and procure to his person some euil conclusion Before the emperour Aurelius died he left his sonne Commodus commended vnto certeine tutours as well fortunately to finishe those warres begonne as also to assist and counsell him in the gouernement of the common wealth because the father comprehending the sonne did feare that leauing the enimies he would abandon him selfe vnto vices and although the common wealth were forgotten would dedicate him selfe vnto the pleasures of his person The exequies for the good Prince Marcus Aurelius being celebrated and sumptuous sacrifices also offered for him vnto the Gods Commodus was aduised by his coūsell to vse some speache vnto all his Senatours and captaines attendant in those warres who being aduaunced vppon an high skaffolde began after this manner to make his Oration The Oration of Commodus made to the Senate The vniuersall calamitie and the particular sorrowe which for the death of my father this sorrowfull day doth represent is no lesse common vnto you then to mee for if I haue lost a pittifull father you haue lost a righteous and a iust Prince My losse is not small that haue lost such a father but much more haue you lost that haue lost such a Prince because the hurte of one is tollerable but that which redoundeth to the offence of many for euer is to be lamented Experience teacheth vs that of an hundred fathers there be not twaine that are euill vnto their children and by the contrarie of an hundreth princes ye shall hardly finde twaine that exquisitely shal proue good for their subiectes If this be true as it is moste true that I haue saide it is iust and verie iust that if sonnes lament the death of their parentes with teares of their eyes that subiectes bewaile the death of their good Princes with drops from their heartes Howe humble my father hath beene vnto the Gods how seuere with the wicked howe affable with good men how patient in iniuries how grateful for seruice howe bountifull in his house and howe zealous for the common wealth although you haue seene you haue not throughly comprehended for that good Princes be not exactly knowen vntil they be lost My father was so fortunate and venturous in the warres so singular in science so sincere and cleane of life and so perfecte a louer of the common wealth that the dead had enuie at the liuing not of the life which they possessed but of the Prince which they inioyed It may not be denied but that the Romaine Empire is in debt and beholding vnto many Princes past but I saye and affirme that Rome is more in debt vnto my father aboue all other for others made the common wealth riche but my father made it vertuous others repaired walles but he reformed manners and that which is more others brought to passe that Rome was feared of all strange nations but my father framed that Rome of all in generall was both serued and beloued You all well vnderstande what difference there goeth betwixt voluntarie and forceable seruice for as my father did vse to saye it is more tollerable to be commaunded of suche as loue vs then to be serued of such as abhorre vs My father hath now finished his iourney and certeinly moste perfectly hath runne out his race herein ye may conceiue his inestimable loue towardes you in that he commended mee his onely sonne into your handes and if I followe and perfourme his will he gaue mee not the Empire to commaund you but to the ende I should serue you for he expressely gaue in charge that my Empire should tende more to your vtilitie then to mine owne profite humbly beseeching the immortal Gods to make mee such as my father at his death commaunded as you Romaines do wishe and desire because there is no man in this worlde so euil that desireth not to be gouerned by a Prince that is good You with me and I with you in the manner of our gouernement after his death he did verie well expresse in the time of his life directing me by commaundement to call you fellowes and forbidding you to call me Lord for his desire was that you should fauour and counsell me as a sonne and that I should deale with you as with brethren and trust beleeue you as fathers The loue which the gods do beare vs the same my father alwayes vsed with you that is to say he did so tenderly loue you all as if ye all had beene but one man whereof it foloweth that you are not so much in his debt for that which he did for you as for the hee woulde haue done and coulde not I remember me that many times being a childe my father delighted that ye should take imbrace kisse and cherish me to the end that imbracing of me in your armes ye shuld place me in your hartes and also that I finding your armes open shoulde not vniustely close my bowels from you My Empire is not as the Empire of others that is I neither bought it with money either obteined it by voices or wonne it by armes or toke it by guile no doubtles it is not so for as others obteine by aduēture naturally I
inherite You haue great reason in minde to be satisfied and in harte contented since ye haue a prince not deliuered by the hands of strangers but borne in your owne houses I confesse that to proue good it auaileth muche to desire and also procure to be good but ioyntly herewith I saye that to be a prince it necessarily requireth to haue the fauour of his kingdome for otherwise if straungers do repugne and subiects do not succour it may be in his owne handes to be a good man but not in his power to be a good Prince My father was olde and I am yong wherof it foloweth that more glorie redoundeth vnto you by yealding obedience vnto me then vnto my father bicause obedience done vnto him proceeded of the merit of his authoritie but that which yee shall yealde vnto mee proceedeth of your owne pure vertue All the rewardes honours and offices that my father gaue in time of his life from henceforth I confirme them vnto such as hold them for that being as he was both holy and vertuous the Gods aproouing all his actes it were not iust they should be disalowed of men Neither in the dignities of the Senate the captainshippes of the armies the offices of my house there is nothing to be sayd much lesse to be altered only one thing remaineth betwixt my father and mee which is that I confirme his good works change my vnreformed maners Let vs ioyntly put on noble minds to giue good end vnto the warres whiche my father hath so happily begunne which being finished wee will all goe to our ease and solace and inioy the pleasures of Rome whiche warres if wee should leaue vndone although the hurte should redound to mee the faulte should proceede and be imputed vnto you I will not saye more vnto you my friendes companions but that I request and desire you alwayes to commend vnto your memorie the great loue that my father hath borne you and the good dealing he alwayes vsed with you that from his antiquitie my tender yeres and your greate vertue ye maye frame a Prince good for your selues and profitable for the common wealth Finally I saye that if ye haue my father in remēbraunce ye will neuer forget or disobey mee his sonne for comparing his vertue with my libertie doubtlesse and without comparison ye shal be much more persuaded by his noblenesse then altered by my youthfulnesse This talke being finished much money was throwen out amongest the armyes because on such dayes it was amongest the Romaines muche vsed The Romaine Princes did not muche varie from reason to giue and promise muche money in the beginninge of their Empires for as muche as the malice of man is greedie and couetous they are more persuaded withe a little money which is giuen then with many wordes that are spoken vnto them CHAP. IIII. ¶ Of a certeine famous and notable speeche vsed by one of his tutours for that he would leaue the warre of Panonia vnfinished ALl the officers of the Senate and all the captaines of the armie did marueilously mitigate their sorrowe for the death of their moste louing Lorde Marcus Aurelius when they hearde his sonne Commodus talke with so greate singularitie not onely for that he confirmed whatsoeuer his father had done but also because he promised by imitation most naturally to resemble him But what and howe great difference was betwixt the wordes of this Prince at that instant the workes which after he perfourmed in his life was muche too muche for nothing was more aparant then that al his good words and woorkes vppon that day did finishe and take an ende because from that day he did not onely speake euil and do euill but that which is woorst of all it was neuer séene that euer he had any motion or desire to do good Many be wicked and desire to amende but this person so vnhappie and solde to sinne was not to day so euil that he desired and procured not to morrowe to be woorse Certeine dayes after he had vsed this talke vnto the army he permitted to be gouerned by the aduise of his tutours but euen shortly after he both forgate the commaūdement of his father and his promise made vnto his men of warre for that he lost not onely the feare of his tutors but also the loue and shame vnto his friendes Commodus when he did inherite the Empire was weake delicate and of tender yeares but notwithstanding did vse such licence and libertie of life that decayed his person and damnified his inclination and manners His tutors and gouernours finding the offence that insued therof aduised to remoue the mischiefe by information and counsel in secrete but so peruerse was his condition that for their gentle admonition he did presently abhorre them Nowe when Commodus had publiquely lost his feare vnto tutors his obedience vnto gouernours and reuerence vnto his friendes he woulde neither beholde the one or speake with the other but that all his communication and conuersation was with persons light young and vicious vnto whome he committed all his secretes who began to persuade him to leaue the warres to go to Rome renuing his memorie with the opulencie of Italie and the beautie of Rome and ioyntly did murmur at the land of Panonia saying it was barren drye colde poore and contagious and that to drinke a pitcher of water they were first constrained to breake the Ice With these and suche like woordes Commodus was easily persuaded to leaue the warres of Panonia and take his waye into Italie and to bring the same to effect calling his tutours and gouernours into his presence fained to haue greate suspicion that while he remained in the warrs some others should cōspire rebel in Rome in respect whereof to avoyde the woorste he was determined first to assure him selfe of his owne countries before hée conquered straung kingdoms So greate sorrowe entred the harts of the gouerners and capteines that were present at that assemblye that heauily castinge their countenaunces on the grounde they were not able to aunswere one woord A Senatour named Pōpeyanus being present at that counsell who had married Lucilla daughter vnto Marcus Aurelius and elder sister vnto Commodus besids his aliance in marriage he was a man both rich wise valiaunte and aunciente and therewithall had greate boldnesse in that which he did and no lesse credit in that which he saide This Consul Pompeyanus beholding all the assembly in great silence thought good to take in hand to aunswere the Emperour Commodus after this manner The Oration of Pompeyanus to Commodus Oh my sonne and my Lord for thee to haue desire to see Rome to go into Italie is no meruel for the same which thou desirest all we haue longe wished but folowing and imbracing reason we endure not to be ouercome or carried away with sensualitie I call thee sonne because I haue bred and nourished thee from thy youth and I call thee Lord because thou
art Lorde of my mother Rome by the one I am bounde as a faithfull vassall to followe and obeye thee and by the other thou art bound as vnto a good father to beleeue me and may it please the immortall gods that thou haue as ready an harte to beleeue my counsels as I haue redilie to obeye thy commaundements Many yeares I did folowe and serue thy father and also am fully persuaded that my seruice was gratefull vnto his harte and did not onely tenderly loue me but also frankely gaue and recompenced me for which reason vnto him and his house I will neuer become ingratefull and am determined one for one to counsell thee in that which thou oughtest to doe and afterwardes employ my life where in thou shalt cōmaund me In that which I shal now say if I haue not that reuerence that from a vassall is due vnto the Lorde at the leaste I shall haue that loue that a father doth owe vnto his sonne and if nowe thou shalt be displeased with my words and shalt take them to other ende then they be spoken the time shall come wherein thou shalt repente thee for not beleeuing the old Pompeyanus and that thou hast followed thine owne will and iudgment But comming to the purpose thou seest moste souereigne prince that all which be present neither do beholde or answer thee which may not proceede but that either they knowe not to speake or dare not answere or els they thinke thou wilte not beleeue them any of which is too muche hurtefull and daungerous because it is a faulte in a prince to demaunde counsell of him that knoweth not to giue it but it is muche woorsse when they dare not speake that whiche is meete to be saide but that whiche is woorste of all is when a prince knoweth not to take the benefite of good counsell If thou hadst in remembraunce what thy father commaunded it were superfluous at this present to aduaunce my selfe to giue thee counsell and I dread that as thou haste made no accompt of his commaundement in muche lesse estimation thou wilt holde my request but in the ende I will say my opinion and after wardes make choyce of what shall or may please thee My sonne call to remembrance whose sonne thou wert that is to say of my Lorde Marcus Aurelius for if thou doest consider that thou hadst to father so good a father thou art muche bounde being his sonne to proue a very good sonne Thou didest inherite of thy father his house his goodes his estate and his memorie all which doubtlesse is verie little if thou didst not inherite his noblenesse because for thy onely vertue thou art to be honoured obeyed as touching the rest as thou didst inherite in one day thou maist lose in one houre The glorie which thou receiuest to haue so good a father so neare and in companie with the Gods the same shoulde hee haue there to haue so good a sonne here amongst men for other wise as muche pleasure as thou takest of his glorie so much griefe shall he receiue of thy infamie Thou wilte my sonne leaue this warre whiche thy father hath begonne and wilt go to enioy the delights of Rome I sweare by the immortall Gods I may not immagine the vnworthinesse of him that put the same into thy heade because suche and so greate an enterprise as this ought not to be lefte vnfinished either if it were not begonne vnperfourmed Thou mayest not denie but that thy father was wise aduised patient valiante which being so in my iudgmente it shoulde be right iuste that thou shouldest aduenture thy goods where in he aduentured and also lost his life The affaires of Italie are in peace in Rome ther is no mutinous person in Asia Africa there is no common wealth out of quiet the cause therof procedeth of the great affectiō which they did beare vnto thy father and of the greate power that here they vnderstand his sonne doth possesse which if thou forsake lose therewithall so great reputation thou shalt leaue the Barbarians in peace and make warre against thy self If thou my sonne wilt obteine rest and a good life susteine and conserue that which thy father did winne and gette in time of his life and thou shalte finde that he conquered all wonne all recouered all and made all plaine and it is not vniustly saide that he had all for if he conquered walles with armour he wonne hartes with good woorkes and noble deedes My sonne what wilte thou seeke out of Panonia that thou mayest not find in Panonia if thou desire to see Rome I giue thee vnderstanding that true Rome is where the Emperour of Rome is resident because Rome is not holden for Rome for the stately walles where with it is compassed but for the heroicall men wher with it is gouerned If thou wilt haue riches behold here is the treasure and the collectors thereof If thou wilt haue men of counsell here is the whole sacred Senate If thou wilte haue men of noble mindes there are none in the worlde as those of thine armie If thou wilte haue lustie younge men of thine age here are the sonnes of all the noble Romaines If thou wilt fishe behold here the great riuer Danubic if thou wilt hunte and chace the wilde beaste here are sharpe mountaines if thou wilte haue faire women behold here women both of Rome and Germanie moste beautifull If this be true as it is most true wherefore my sonne wilt thou departe from Rome to go and seeke Rome If vpon the soudaine thou leaue this warre thou shalt staine thy fame with a greate blemish and also put thy common wealth in great daunger because the barbarous shal thinke that thy power is not sufficiēt to ouercome them and also that thou darest not attempt to assaile them Thy father lefte thee with greate power and greate reputation in the Empire and thou my sonne shouldest rather bend and fixe thine eyes to conserue thy reputation then thy potencie because thy power only profiteth against thine enimies but thy reputation profiteth to conquer enimies to conserue friends And thou oughtest not to conceiue or think that the power of the Romaine princes is so great that it lieth in their handes at their owne likinge to make warre or peace with the barbarous nations bycause there is nothing wherin fortune is lesse correspondent then Martial affaires The good princes ought to do muche trauell muche and also aduenture muche to avoyde warre and to obteine peace but after they are determined to attempt and prosecute the same they ought to respecte nothing more then the finishing thereof because many euiles are cutte off by a good warre which may not be finished or brought to passe with a suspicious or a doubtfull peace It is greate folly for any man to endaunger him selfe onely vppon the hope of a remedie but much more is it when a man hath allredie thruste him selfe into
attainement of the Romaine empire for the accomplishement whereof he throughly determined to kill his Lorde and maister Commodus placing his sonnes Pretors ouer all the armies to be readie at hande in time vppon the newes of the death of the Emperour Commodus Perennius also had drawne vnto his parcialitie certeine Senatoures and other the welthiest neighbours and citizens of Rome by giftes and rewardes in secret but in especiall by aggrauating the wicked life of Commodus On the fourth day of May the Romaines did celebrate the greate feast of Iupiter Capitoline whereunto not onely the whole people of Rome but also of all cities of Italie did concurre and when the Emperour on that day was resident in Rome alwayes in his owne person went to authorize and sée the feast The Emperour Commodus beholding the playes and pageants prouided for that triumph and Crispina his wife being placed on the one hande and Perennius the priuate and greately fauoured courtier set on the other hande they behelde a carte comming al couered with boughes crying continually for roome and audience And when they were come vnto the presence of the Emperour Cōmodus and all persons by his commaundement vsing silence the people thinking they would haue vttered some pageant or matter of disporte soudeinly there appeared a man aloft vppon the carte which had a long bearde a shéepeheardes hooke in one hande and a sling in the other and from the girdle vpwarde all naked his other garments very poore and after the manner of a Philosopher and directing his woordes vnto Commodus saide The Oration to Commodus O Commodus it well seemeth that thou arte a Prince and that verie young whiche arte in these playes and delightes so carelesse and negligent which thou oughtest not to doe because Princes of thy age estate and condition runne muche more in perill in their excessiue pleasures then in their meane trauailes Being as thou arte rigorous with thine owne and furious and vnbridled with straungers thou oughtest to consider and not to be vnmindfull that thou hast enimies for the Prince that is feared of manie hath iust cause also to feare manie The greatest riches and the best treasure in this world is trueth whereof Princes be moste poore of all people for that their eares being fild and led away with lyes may take no taste in matters of trueth Thou Commodus and other Princes do not euil gouerne your common wealthes of any prepenced malice to destroye the same but because ye giue not either delight your selues to heare the poore that be grieued and oppressed when they complaine neither the good godly and vertuous when they giue aduisement of the greate and horrible vices of briberie extortion and violent robberies committed by officers by the priuate and fauoured by the mightie and men of power Great is the fault of Princes for the vices which they committ but much greater is their offence in dissembling the offences of their fauoured seruaunts because ye offend not but onely the Gods but they both offende the Gods vexe and trouble men are traitours to your own persons Although Commodus thou be licentious dissolute wilfull also not very honest it is impossible but if the hurtes and mischiefes scandals and robberies committed by thy officers fauoured seruants were notified giuen thee to vnderstand thou wouldest commaund them to be amēded also to be remedied for in the ende there is no Prince so euill that desireth not his common wealth to flourish At these dayes trueth in Princes houses is so odious that who so aduentureth but to make reporte therof of death he must haue determination and if any such do escape with life it proceedeth of some conceite to be spoken of madnesse That which at this present I will say discouer I protest vnto the immortal Gods it proceedeth not of madnesse for that my natural iudgement is confirmed with reason either do I say it of malice to be reuenged of any person but onely Oh Commodus to deliuer thy life of great peril and to franchise Rome from seruitude of a tyrant for that which I presume to saye and aduenture to discouer I am assured before my tale be ended my life shal be taken away But O Commodus I giue thee to vnderstande that if thou wilt not giue faith vnto my woordes the time will come when thou shalt vnderstand the trueth of all that I haue saide when thy mischiefe may haue no remedie Thou Commodus art there set placed with the Empresse Crispina on thy right hand on thy left hand thy priuate fauoured Perennius but hadst thou certeine intelligēce what he hath ordeined against thee with thine owne hands thou wouldest burie him quick Perennius hath not been satisfied to put to death all good men to be reuenged of his enimies to haue destroyed all thy seruants to haue robbed all thy treasures but that nowe he practiseth to take away thine owne life to aduaunce and exalt him selfe to the whole power of this citie and common wealth O Commodus if thou knowe not I giue thee to vnderstand that the sonnes of Perennius by fraud haue incēsed thy armies of Illyria agaīst the. Perēnius him selfe ceaseth not to corrupt the Senate and secretly seketh to winne the mindes of men giuing giftes and large rewardes vnto the people and all to the ende that vpon the first newes of thy death without contradictiō he may possesse the whole estate of the Romane Empire And think not that Perennius doth now be gin to attēpt this treason for that of great certeintie I do assure thee that many dayes past he hath put the same in practise is vpon the point at this instant to haue it to be executed in so much that if on this day I had not aduentured to giue thee warning be thou assured that on this present day before this feast had bene finished thy life had here bene ended Vntil that poore man had saide that on that day Commodus death was prepared not onely the people gaue eare but also Perennius whoe presently rose out of his chayre with greate furie commaunding the swoord players to kill that presumptuous and rashe dizarde who was presently slaine drawne cut in péeces and burnt Perennius of all men so deadly hated by this poore mannes tale sunke into suspicion of the people and also Commodus conceiued against him some scruple but that Philosopher béeing there slaine and Perennius in so greate power although they had all suspicion of his treason yet no man there durst speake a worde The matter remaining certeine dayes more suspicious then cleare there came gentlemen from Illyria and brought certein péeces of golde wherein bothe the name also the Image of Perennius was ingrauen whiche money Perennius commaunded his sonnes in greate secrecie to be made The coyners thereof being aduertised what the Philosopher had saide and being in greate doubt in processe of time to be discouered came vnto Commodus and
him in words in so much as he hath experience of all thinges O most excellent princes and my commilitants I will say no more vnto you but that if ye may persuade your selues to the election of Pertinax ye shall not onely yeeld a good Emperour vnto your Common wealth but also euerie man shall obteine in him a father for his familie for as he hath bin a leader vnto vs all so he cānot deale with vs but as with his children All the time that Letus was reasoning these matters vnto the armie they stoode all astonied and rapt partly in hearing the memoriall conteyning the treason that Commodus had ordeyned partly for the newes of his death and also in considering how aptly eloquently Letus had vsed his speach in opening the matter Presently at the instant that Letus had finished his talke the whole armie began to say exclame Viuat viuat Pertinax Augustus whiche is to say Long many yeares may Pertinax liue our Romane Emperour All the principal of the armie departed to visite Pertinax at his owne house found him not but in the temple of victorie and taking him vppon their shoulders they carried him about all Rome and as it was then as yet not throughly day the townesmen were abashed to heare such newes because not knowing that Commodus was dead they heard that Pertinax was proclaimed Emperour The Romanes afterwardes did sweare and affirme that in long time past there was euer any newes diuulgate in Rome that generally gaue so great ioy vnto all persons partly for the newes of Cōmodus death as also for that the good old Pertinax was made Emperour CHAP. V. ¶ Of an Oration made by Pertinax in the Senate immediatly after he was elected Emperour VEry great was the ioy that was manifested throughout all Rome because they had obteyned Pertinax for their Lord and no lesse was the heauinesse that Pertinax discouered to behold himselfe an Emperour for he said that this name or title of imperie or regiment was the thing that euery man desired for himself and in others did most abhorre No signe of an Emperour would Pertinax cōsent to accompanie him vntil he and the Senatours had séene conferred and saluted ech other and all ioyntly being mounted vpon the height of the Capitol where the imperial cloth of estate was placed Pertinax would by no meane sit downe in that imperial seat but tooke the Consul Glabriō by the arme and by strong hand would haue set him in the same seriously affirming that it apperteined much better vnto his deseruing Glabrion was a Romane in age very auncient in cōdition very mild in gouernment very wise in life of great sinceritie in bloud much estéemed for that he was descended by the right line of king Aeneas sonne vnto Anchises and sonne in lawe vnto king Priamus and father to Aschanius When Glabrion perceiued Pertinax to persist with so great instance to inuest him with the Empire he said vnto him in the presence of the whole Senate the humble humilitie which thou shewest Pertinax in the want of merit of the Empire the same maketh thée of deseruing sufficient of the Empire vnto which election all wée of the Senate do consent not moued thereunto by the election of the armie but to sée thée make so smal accompt of thy selfe in such wise that this thy refusal yeldeth thy merit sufficient A great while was the whole Senat persuading Pertinax to condescend to their request which is to wit to accept the Empire but his repugnance was so great that in a manner by force they placed him in the chayre and that which is more the whole Senate perceiued that he did nothing feynedly for it was lamentable to heare the lamentation which hee made and to sée the abundance of teares which he shed But afterwards when hée was placed in the imperial chaire Pertinax spake vnto the Senate after this maner His Oration to the Senate THAT which I will now speake vnto you fathers conscript the God Iupiter in whose house now we stand be my witnes I wil not therin deceiue you for this place being consecrate vnto the gods as it is it should be great sacrilege for men to aduenture to lye therein For all weaknesse which men commit they may haue excuse except it be for lying because vnto other vices humane weakenes doth inuite or intice vs but to lye we are not moued but with our owne proper malice Fathers conscript ye see how Commodus your Emperour is dead and the destinies haue brought to passe that I succeede him in the Empire perchance for as much as he did wishe mee euill and his workes of my part not very well liked it may be thought of you that the manner of his death was first notified vnto mee and his life cut off by my deuice wherein throughly to satisfie you I sweare and protest by the immortall gods that of this fault I am not guiltie because I was so innocent thereof that when they said that Commodus was dead at that instant I thought he had sent to haue slaine mee Notwithstanding that both he and we shal all die I would not that so straunge a death should haue finished his dayes not because Commodus did not deserue the same but for the great bond which our mother Rome doth owe vnto his father Marcus Aurelius for it many times happeneth that the errours of the children be recompenced with the merittes of their fathers I was seruant and aduaunced of the good Marcus Aurelius which is the greatest weale that the destinies might haue giuen me in this world I say it is to this end because it should be great griefe vnto me if in my presence any thing should be said either in my absence any thing should be done against his sonne Commodus although he be now dead for that in my heart I finde my selfe much more bound to acknowledge the great goodnes which I receiued of my Lord Marcus Aurelius then to reueng the iniuries that I suffered of his sonne Commodus Beleue mee fathers cōscript that if ye shall do cōtrary vnto this which I haue said it may be that obseruing time wherin I shall find my selfe it shal be necessarie to dissemble it but I may not cease greatly to feele it The prouidence of the gods is farre different from the deuices of men that which moueth me to this speach is that when I was a yong man I much desired the Empire and might not atteine it and now that I am old and do abhorre it they force mee to take it in such wise they giue vs that which we hate and denie vs that which we seeke or craue When I began to hold offices in the common wealth I thought it most certeine that it was no humaine matter but a diuine dignitie to be a Romane Emperour but after I tasted of the trauells of commaundements and of authoritie and vnderstoode the peril to reigne I did
tedious complaintes vnto Seuerus but in the end hée gaue eare vnto the complaints of Plautianus as vnto a seruaunt but vnto Bassiaaus as vnto a sonne Seuerus considering the continuall displeasure giuen him by Plautianus the tyrannies hee executed in the Empire the enimitie betwixt him and Bassianus and that also with his great fauour he estaéemed him litle conceiued that some day he might rise with the Empire wherefore from thenceforth hée neither shewed him good countenaunce either gaue him so great authoritie in the common wealth Plautianus did well perceiue that he had not onely Bassianus vnto his enimie but also stoode in disgrace of Seuerus and thought with himselfe that to escape best cheape either they would take away his life or cast him out of fauour and to deliuer himselfe of so great an infamie he determined to kill them to quite himselfe CHAP. XVI ¶ Of a certaine treason that Plautianus had ordeined against Seuerus and how it was discouered THe order that Plautianus vsed or to say better the disorder that he practised to kill Seuerus and Bassianus procéeded as from a passioned tyraunt and not as a man aduised and so it afterwards redounded to his losse and destruction The case was thus there was in Rome a Tribune named Saturninus natiue of Assyria who was the greatest friend that Plautianus had with whome hée did most communicate to whom he did most commend his secretes and also for whom he did most pleasure Plautianus sending for this Saturninus an houre within night and inclosing themselues within a chamber said in great secrecie these wordes following Plautianus his Oration to Saturninus Saturninus thou knowest how great loue I haue borne thee and how many good deedes I haue done to thee thy house wherof there needeth no other token but the beholding of thee so highly aduaunced in the Court so accepted in my seruice many with me be offended at thee al men haue enuie Friends parents acquaintance recommended and seruaunts I had for whome to haue done vnto some of whom I was much beholding of others I was to haue coÌ„sidered for seruice all these notwithstanding on thee onely I fixed mine eyes to magnifie thee and in thee I imployed my hart to loue thee I sent now for thee to recompt vnto thee my trauels and sorrowes to the end thou shouldest helpe to deliuer mee from them and herein thou shalt perceiue the affectionate loue which I beare thee in that I repose my confidence in thee wherein I would not trust mine owne proper sonne for sonnes thincke not but howe to inherite their fathers goods but verie friendes haue care to deliuer their friendes from griefe and sorrowe Thou well knowest Saturninus what great seruice I haue done to Seuerus and since my youth haue followed him in the warres I say I serued him so young that I alone am his most auncient seruaunt although I bee now the most forgotten and abhorred Setting a part all seruices which I haue done for him and all great daungers that I haue passed to deliuer him from perill I haue borne so tender affection vnto my Lord Seuerus that I left to like him as a man and did adore him as a God and that this is true it appeareth most cleare in that I gaue my daughter vnto his sonne Bassianus and my selfe to be his perpetuall slaue After I spent my youth in his seruice followed the father throughout the world his sonne Bassianus nourished in my armes from his infancie I did yeeld him my goods I gaue him my onely daughter I gouerned his common wealth in peace of his euill life I framed in al men an opinion of great vertue his cruelties and tyrannie I made all men beleeue to be zeale of iustice in such wise that they neuer committed vile deede that I soldered not either at any time commaunded any difficult matter that I accomplished not The matter is thus come to passe the Gods permitting or my sorrowfull destinies procuring I am fallen into so great hatred of Seuerus and in so cruel contempt and enimitie with Bassianus that in recompence of al my seruice which I haue done them all the dayes of my life they are nowe determined to take away my life Thou seest now Saturninê° whether it be reason that I endure the same whereunto if I should giue place I should perish my house should be lost the gods vnserued the whole Empire escandalized and therefore it is coÌ„uenient that I execute on them that which they would execute vppon mee for that it is more consonant vnto reason that the euil be corrected of the good then that the vertuous should come vnder the power of the wicked Behold Saturninus what affection I beare thee that haue layd vp in thy breast so great a secrete this terrible deede I will put into thy handes therefore presently thou must depart vnto the Court and go into his chamber where Seuerus sleepeth and cut off his head from Bassianus his sonne also thou shalt take away his life Thou shalt say vnto the guard at Court that euen nowe there came vnto mee a post out of Asia and art sent by mee to giue Seuerus intelligence thereof and goest at such an houre for that daunger dependeth thereon And since thou hast not beene abashed to heare it be not terrified to performe it for that I sweare vnto thee by the immortal gods that after Seuerus is dead and I in the possession of the Empire conformable vnto the great perill wherein nowe thou doest aduenture thy selfe shall be thy rewards that then thou shalt receiue These and such other thinges Plautianus said vnto Saturninus who aunsweared that hée was readie to do his commaundement vppon condition that hée would giue him in writing in what manner he would haue him to kill Seuerus and Bassianus his sonne which he desired to this end that if in time he should forget the recompence of so great a seruice he might shewe him that writing both to remeÌ„ber the seruice past as also the reward vnperformed Plautianus doubted not to giue Saturninus a writing signed with his owne hand wherein hee commaunded to kill Seuerus and Bassianus his eldest sonne the contents of the writing was thus J Plautianus do request as a friend and commaund as a Censor that thou Saturninus Tribune do kill the Emperour Seuerus and Bassianus his elder sonne and for the same I promise thee and by the immortall Gods sweare vnto thee that as thou art onely in perill so to make thee singular in the Empire Saturninus as a man skilfull and subtile for more assuraunce vnto Plautianus vppon his knées kist his hand as though alreadie he had béene sure of the Empire and then being in the déepe of the night he departeth vnto the Court the guard presently giuing place and the chaÌ„berlaines in like maner who placing himselfe directly before Seuerus as he lay in his bed said these words O Seuerus how carelesse art thou of
bred manie wilde beastes he woulde remaine in the thickest thereof for that he was more giuen to chase in mountaines then to hawke in fieldes The captaines of Bassianus armie were two Romanes named Audentius and Macrinus Audentius was a rustical person as concerning maters of the cōmon wealth but verie expert valiaunt in warrelike affaires Macrinus contrarywise in gouerning the common wealth was wise and skilfull but in martiall affaires somewhat negligent and not ouer fortunate Bassianus did like very well of Audentius and no lesse euill of Macrinus and did not only wishe but also said of him much euill murmuring that hée was negligent a coward vitious an epicure a glutton that did eate much and drincke not a litle and that at his comming to Rome he would remoue him from all charge in matters of warre Macrinus was a man very wel learned and in his speach no lesse reformed and in all thinges that they said vnto him touching that which Bassianus should speake of him he aunswered that whatsoeuer his good lord had said of him was spoken of great affection not to the end to defame him as an enimie but to correcte him as a sonne Although Macrinus vsed this speach openly yet he had other matter in his hart secretly as afterwards in the successe of affaires it manifestly appeared for at such time as Bassianus would haue remoued Macrinus from his honour and estate Macrinus dispatched him of his life The case was thus that Bassianus being inclined of his owne proper nature to knowe secretes not onely of men but also of Gods and diuels alwayes fearing himselfe that by practise of some treason they would take away his life hée was neuer void of the conuersation of Sorcerers sothsayers and inchanters to aduertise him how long hee should liue and what death hee should die Not satisfied with such Magicians sothsayers sorcerers and inchaunters as did attend on his person in the warres hee would send vnto the Prefect of Rome named Maternianus to whome Bassianus committed the credite of his secretes writinge a letter vnto him with his owne proper hande commaunding him with great diligence and secrecie to assemble Magicians Sorcerers Sothsayers Inchaunters and Astrologians to know of them not onely how long he should liue and how he should die but also to demaund of them if there were any person within the Empire that desired or procured to be Emperour Maternianus performed all that which his Lord Bassianus had written vnto him whether it were any magician or sothsayer that said it either any enimie of Macrinus finding opportunitie for his purpose Maternianus did write and aduertise Bassianus that he had assembled all the sorcerers inchanters diuiners magicians sothesayers astrologians and augurs and that the resolution of their counsell was that if hee would enioy the Empire it were conuenient that Macrinus were slaine At the instant when the post returned with his letters from Rome Bassianus was placed in his coche to go foorth on hunting not remēbring what he had written either presuming what might be writtē said vnto Macrinus that he should open and read them all and if that he found therin matter of great importance to consult therin and al other smal matters that he himselfe should prouide aunswere and dispatch Macrinus reading these letters as wel such as were written vnto Bassianus as vnto himself came also to read the letter of Maternianus wherin he aduertised Bassianus of the aunswere which the magicians had giuen him which is to say that presently it were conuenient that Macrinus should be put to death whereof he was not a litle abashed holding it for great good hap that this secrete had chaunced into his onely handes before any other person for at the instant that Bassianus might haue read this letter he would haue cōmaunded Macrinus his head to flée from his shoulders Macrinus doubting that Maternianus might returne to write of the former matter vnto Bassianus and that were it but for cōcealing that letter hee would shorten him by the shoulders aduised to practise the death of Bassianus before he should experiment the same on him Amongest them that garded the person of Bassianus there was one Martianus who accordingly had a brother also of his guard him for a small displeasure Bassianus commaunded to be slaine and with Martianus vsed woords of great despite in such maner that Martianus with those woords remayned disgraced of his brothers death gréeued and afflicted After Macrinus vnderstoode this passion to reigne in Martianus against Bassianus hee first entered with him in familiaritie and gaue him siluer and gold receiued him into his friendship and euery day lead him into remembrance of the vniust death of his brother to the ende hee should not growe cold but hote in hatred against Bassianus Now when Macrinus felt that by his benefits he had recouered Martianus for his faithful friēd and brought him into great disdaine and mortall hatred of Bassianus he grew to cōposition to depriue him of his life for which déede his reward should be great whereof Martianus did take great delighte and bound himselfe to performe the same partly to reuenge the death of his brother as also to condescend vnto the request of his friend Macrinus Bassianus being resident in Careuca a citie of Mesopotamia came foorth to visite a temple of the Goddesse Luna two miles distant from the citie and being constrayned vppon the way to vnburden his bellie hee entered the thickest of the couert accompanied but with one seruaunt and Martianus that attended but opportunitie to accōplish his promise entered vppon Bassianus being withdrawen into the thickest of the shrubs prosecuting his necessitie al alone Martianus strake him with a launce downe flat vppon the ground which wound was so mortall that without more woordes or strength to moue where the launce went in the life came out After that Martianus had slaine Bassianus he toke his horse and fled but as the imperiall guard was at hand within a leage he was ouertaken and slaine with launces in such wise that after hee had taken reuengmēt of his enimie he enioyed his life but one hour This was the end of the vnhappie Emperour Bassianus whose life did merite a slaunderous death for that it was not vnreasonable that he which had kild so many friends by treason should be slaine with enimies CHAP. XIIII ¶ How Macrinus excusing himselfe of the death of Bassianus did aduaunce himselfe with the Empire ON the selfe same day that Antoninus Bassianus was borne which was the eight of April he was slaine xliiij yeares of his age being accomplished and vj yeares of his Empire and reigne expired The first man that came vnto him after he was slaine was Macrinus who bewailed his death with so great dissimutation as if he had not béene the mā that procured so vile a déede Macrinus was right fortunate that Martianus was slaine when hee was taken for all men thought and also said that Martianus had
drinke water somtimes wine somtimes ale somtimes sider somtimes sodde water somtimes golden water some times stild water and at other times hee woulde not drinke but brothes and collesses In the manner of his feeding he neither vsed authoritie or obserued grauitie for at some times he woulde eate sittinge in a chaire sometimes on a bench and sometimes walking for he vsed to say that in such manner he did both eate and digest Naturally hee was giuen to sleepe verie litle through the weakenesse of his braine and slepte in all places without respect as well in the temple as in the Senate in the garden in the bath in the bedde and also in the market place in suche wise that hee wanted force to resiste the leaste motions and affections of his inclination Heliogabalus did inuent at Rome a certeine manner of feasting named Festum vindemiarum that is to saye the feast of grape gathering which feast was so dissolute vnshamefast vnto the viewe of the common people that afterwards in Rome they neuer cōsented to the celebratiō therof He was also greatly addicted to playe at tennis and whē he was offended with any olde Senatour either any auncient or honourable Romane he would sende for him to playe and accompany him with whome he would playe so much that in the end the sorrowfull gentleman should departe vnto his house both tyred beswett and drudged and also many times despoyled of his money He went verie seldome vnto the temples was vtterly voide and barren of all friendship or affection vnto wise men was neuer séene to read in bookes greatly abhorred suters affaires was negligent either to paye or refourme the armies made small accompt either of friendes or enimies finally he was addicted vnto his owne opinion and a mortall enimie vnto reason CHAP. X. ¶ Of a letter written by the great matrone Mesia vnto her nephue the Emperour Heliogabalus THE greate matrone Mesia being aduertised in Asia of her nephue Heliogabalus so farre inraged with vice in Rome did write him a letter after his manner My sonne Heliogabalus when thou departedst from Asia vnto Rome I hoped to haue heard such newes of thee as might be ioyfull to thy common wealth and haue giuen vnto mee greate renounce glorie but as I am aduertised here and also giuen to vnderstand from thence there thou doest minister matter for all men to murmur and here vnto mee sufficient cause to weepe Sixtie sixe yeares are past since I was borne into this worlde in which I haue buried and bewailed my father Torquatus my mother Aristina my sister Phillis and her husbande Tharsus Also I buried and bewailed my husband Aristippus my sonne Lucius Francus my daughter Dolobella and her husband Martianus Also I bewailed and buried the good Emperour Marcus Aurelius and the Empresse Faustina my good and gratious Ladie in whose house I was borne and in whose palace I was married I also buried and bewailed the Emperour Commodus the Emperour Pertinax Annius Pastor mine vnckle Mirtha mine aunte Camillus my nephue and Ioanna my neece Also I buried and bewailed the Emperour Seuerus my onely good Lorde and famous Emperour Also I bewailed and buried thine vnfortunate father my deare and moste desired sonne whose name I dare not either any other expresse in my presence because the sounde thereof constraineth mee to breake foorth in teares I thought it expedient my sonne to leade thee vnto remembrance of al these thy predecessours to the ende thou mayst see howe small reason it were that I should bewaile the liuing since I haue wept all the dayes of my life for so many persons that are dead When thou wast borne by stealth and I did both hide and couer thee when I did remoue thee from Rome and brought thee vnto Grecia when I caused thee to be instructed in Greeke letters and bred and nourished thee in companie of wise men when I did offer thee vnto the God Heliogabalus and made thee a priest in his sacred temple I thought my sonne that all these thinges should serue mee for ioye and peace in my reposed age and not to bewaile thy childishe youthfulnesse In this I acknowledge how free the iudgements of the Gods are from the thoughtes of men in that the gods determine one thing and men suppose another which hath chaunced both vnto thee and to mee O my sonne Heliogabalus because the childishnesse which thou doest vse and the vices thou possessest I did not onely thinke thou wouldst not committe but also that in thy minde they shoulde neuer haue had passage When I did place thee with the greate prieste Gorgias caused thee to be apparayled in the sacred vesture prayedst daily vnto the gods and also euery weeke diddest offer sacrifice in the temple I hoped thou shouldest haue proued a Paragon in vertue and not as thou arte a monster in all vice If thou wouldest consider many thinges do persuade and also binde thee to be good but nothinge prouoketh thee to be euill that is to weete ▪ to be a man reasonable to haue beene a priest to be borne in Rome to be nowe an Emperour to haue nourished thee in my house and to be descended of bloud so noble and generous for it much prouoketh men to perfourme that which they ought to do to remember from whence they be descended Beleeue mee my sonne that with lesse cost and more ease thou shalt be vertuous then vicious because vices content the fleshe when they are committed and torment the hearte after they be perfourmed but vertues yelde not so much griefe in their woorking as pleasure when we haue giuen repulse vnto vice I may not comprehende the froward fortune that foloweth thee or the sorrowfull destinies which haue pursued mee since I nourished thee in trueth and thou prouest and arte become a lyar I bred thee chaste and thou arte imbrued with impudicitie I brought thee vp in temperance thou hast stained thy selfe with excesse and gluttonie I trayned thee in shamefastnesse and thou rendrest a life moste dissolute and that which is woorst aboue the rest thou doest neither feare to offende the Gods or escandalize men Admitting thou wouldest not be good for any offence vnto the Gods that haue created thee or anye griefe or scandal vnto men with whome thou doest liue yet oughtest thou so to be to remoue all heauinesse and displeasure from mee thy olde and sorrowfull grandmother since thou knowest I bought for thee the Empire by the weight of money drawen out of my chestes and by force of teares issuing breaking from mine entrailes My sonne thou doest well knowe that to make thee a Romane Prince I gaue greate giftes vnto the temples offered vnto the Gods infinite sacrifices gaue vnto the Pretorians all my treasures made vnto the Priestes great offers sent vnto the Senatours moste riche iewels all which is nothing for if it had beene possible I would haue giuen my bloud vnto the immortall Gods that thou
mightest be one of them And if I haue erred in purchaseing the Empire much more should I erre to make thee one of the Gods since in thee no vertue is to be founde either any vice wanting The Gods haue made thee faire of face gallant of proportion stout of strength learned in letters expert in armes valiant of heart delicate in iudgement and bolde in perils but what profite all these graces since thou art so greate an enimie of others counsel and so farre enamored of thine owne proper iudgement Thou followest vanitie as one most inconstant thou dost prosecute thine age as one ouerchildishe thou pursuest sensualitie as one most wilfull in follies which thing for a while may be dissembled but long time may not be suffered in such wise that either the Empire shal be lost betwixt thine handes or thou must dye within fewe dayes As the seate of the Empire is consecrated vnto the Gods so they suffer not euil Princes long to reigne ▪ which thou mayst consider in Tyberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Domitian Commodus Iulianus Bassianus Niger al which had so euil an ende that where the yron of the enimie entred by the same place the soule departed Oh my sorrowful and vnfortunate sonne Bassianus of whome vntil this time I goe laden with sorrowes and also thou hast to holde it for most certeine that since thou arte a disciple of his euil manners so shalt thou be also a follower of his most miserable death Being verie young and as then but a childe I hearde my Lorde Marcus Aurelius verie oft saye that the immortall Gods did sooner slaye euil Princes then other wicked persons because the euil man is only euil vnto his owne house and person but the euil prince liueth to the hurte of the whole cōmon wealth I bought not the Empire for any other cause but chiefely to renue the memorie of the good Emperour Antoninus Pius but alas alas of mee whoe greately feare and also hold it for certeine that as in Nero the generation of the Caesars finished euen so in thee the sincere linage of the Antonines shal be ended In the dayes that I remained at Rome I vnderstoode and since I came into Asia I haue also seene that by the prosperitie of a good man many be aduaunced and by mishap of a wicked person many finish and decaye I am aduertised that in thy house and chamber men of wicked life and little wisedome haue free entraunce and familiaritie which in princes houses is verie perillous and no lesse pernitious for that such persons do procure thee to followe the counsels which they shall giue and to dissemble the excesse which they shall committe If thou bee euill and such as attende thee be wicked howe maist thou haue hardinesse to chastice any euill To refourme others thou must firste refourme thy selfe and to chastice others thou hast firste to punishe thy seruaunts for that if the priuate and fauoured seruants of Princes be dissolute the cōmon wealth doeth fall out to be absolute In the reigne of my lorde Marcus Aurelius I sawe his courte furnished with vertuous persons and in the dayes of his sonne Commodus I sawe his house filled with wicked people and am well able to saye vnto thee my sonne that as their houses were so was their common wealths If thou wilt liue in quiet go alwayes in peace and auoide suspicion keepe in thine house continually men of honestie grauitie and wisedome because honourable and wise men in Princes houses yealde authoritie with their persons and profite with their counsels Nowe or neuer thou maist withdrawe thine hande cease to be euil and binde thy selfe to bee good because of all that is past we will impute the fault to thy youth which if thou refusest to do then will wee referre it whollie vnto thy wilfull vanitie It profiteth not a litle for the healpe of good gouernement of the common wealth that the Prince be of good life for subiects hauing good Princes imitate what they see and perfourme what they commaunde CHAP. XI ¶ Of certeine lawes which the Emperour Heliogabalus made in Rome HEliogabalus made certeine lawes wherof some were good some indifferent and others neither good nor euill but moste vaine for as he vsed to saye so greate authoritie haue Princes in their kingdomes as the gods in the heauens He made a lawe that no vestall virgine should make a vowe of chastitie but to stande at her libertie to be inclosed or to be married for he helde opinion that women were verie weake to perfourme vowes and at euery houre variable of opinion and aduise He made a lawe that no widowe might marrie within a yeare of her husbandes death on the one parte sufficiently to bewaile the dead and on the other parte exactly to consider of him that shoulde marrie her He made a lawe that no fleshe breade wine or any fruite shoulde be solde in Rome by viewe but by weight and measure because in selling of thinges by weight and measure they are bought according to their value and not as they are praised He made a lawe that al taylers in receiuing garments to make shoulde take the same by weight to auoyd purloyning of any parte thereof He made a lawe that no young man vnder the gouernement of father mother or tutour might giue take or playe any money because it were to be presupposed that such a one being in no possession of inheritance had either stolne or made some euil marte He made a lawe that all maides hauing attained the age of xxv yeares might marrie althoughe their parents would not thereunto consent for he vsed to saye that good parents haue more care to marrie one daughter then to breede x. sonnes He made a lawe that on holy dayes and dayes of publique feastes and ioye they should not openly burie their dead saying it were an euil signe vnto the common wealth if at the time of ioy others should begin to weepe He made a lawe that no Romane should presume to throwe out at doore any seruaunt slaue or horse or any other beast were it but a dogg either for any olde age or sicknesse saying that for the same purpose men serue from their youth to be succoured when they come to age He made a lawe that punishment should not be giuen vnto théeues as Iudges cōmaunded but at the wil of the persons which were robbed affirming theaft to be so foule a fault that by the hands of all persons they deserued chasticement He made a lawe that no citizen of Rome should presume to drawe to drowne to strangle or hang his slaue for any offence saying that to the Gods alone and to Princes power is giuen to slaye and kill and to others onely to punishe He made a lawe that if any married woman should committ adulterie with any kinsman or friend of her husband he might neither chastice reproue or blame her if shée proued that her husband had first
vnder their histories which they shall write our same shal shine and flourish Alexander in the dayes of his youth was deadly hated of his cousen Heliogabalus this procéeded not of the sharpe condition of Alexander but for the euil nature of Heliogabalus that is to say for that he would not consent to be a coÌ„panion in his wickednes as by birth he was his kinseman There were neuer séene two princes so conioyned in parentage so nere in succession so different in liues as Heliogabalus Alexander for that in Heliogabalus there was not one vertue to be praised either in Alexander one vice to be reprehended CHAP. II. ¶ Howe Alexander was aduaunced vnto the Empire and of his laudable manners TWo yeares before the Pretorians killed Heliogabalus the Emperour Alexander was elected Augustus to the great grace liking and conformitie of al the Romane people whereof procéeded that on the day in which they had slaine the vnworthie Heliogabalus they gaue vnto Alexander the ensignes of the empire When Alexander began to reigne he was very younge wherfore Mesia the â—randmother and Manea the mother did take the charge 〈◊〉 gouernement of the empire who although in condition they were womeÌ„ yet most truly in gouernement they discouered themselues to be men They elected xij persons to assist them in the affaires of the Empire which were chosen amongest the auncient the most experte amongst the learned the most wise without determination iudgment of all these they did neither heare what was demaunded either determined any matter that they had to doe The first déede of Alexander his grandmother Mesia his mother Manea his xii counsellours was to take order for reformation of temples namely to repaire the decaide to clense the defiled inrich such as were robbed and to populate such as were disinhabited because in the dayes of his predecessour Heliogabalus not only humaine matters went to wracke but the gods also were profaned Diuine matters being reformed presently they toke order for coÌ„seruation of the coÌ„mon wealth before all things all vicious persons were resolued from their offices and not satisfied to punish their offences with depriuation of their offices he forced them to make restitution of whatsoeuer they had either bribed or purloyned from thencefoorth to liue of their owne proper sweate Matters of iustice were not handled but of men very well learned Martiall affaires were not commended but vnto men of great experience causes of the common wealth were not manured but of persons skilfull therein in such wise that they prouided not offices for men but men for offices Also Alexander reformed the whole condition estate of his house as well the ministers as the expences thereof which all the dayes of Heliogabalus excéeded in disorder was no lesse defiled with vice for which cause he set a seazment of the charges thereof and elected faithful officers to spend the same in such wise that in the house of Alexander there was neither immoderate expences either men wanting offices Although order was taken for the ordinarie expences of his house yet notwithstanding his houshold had all things in abundance conuenient vnto his imperial magnificence and many strangers that came from farre praised Alexander because they might not accuse him of prodigalitie either note him of auarice The temples the common wealth and his house being ordered the good prince forgat not to reforme his owne person not only for the maner of consuming of time but also for the order and maner of his apparel for that he vsed to say if the monie which princes spend in robes superfluous the time which they coÌ„sume in apparelling decking themselues were spent to the profite of their common wealthes they should obteine more fauour of the gods lesse hatred of men Alexander was so humble in condition that publikely he coÌ„maunded none should call him Lord either by word or writing but the priests should call him brother the Senatours sonne men at armes companion and common persons friend and this he did for that he held the gods in so great reuerence that he would they only should be called Lords On the superscriptioÌ„s of letters brought him by Embassadours or sent him from any prouince they wrote theron exquisite and stately titles wherin he prouided no other superscription to be added but this Vnto our sonne our Brother our Companion or Friend Aurelius AlexaÌ„der Romane Emperour Heliogabalus his predecessour did commonly weare precious stones on his feete and most costly iewels of gold and Vnicorne in his apparel whiche thinges Alexander neuer vsed either delighted to weare for as he was wont to say princes are not to be knowen of their vassals by their rich robes but by their good works performed in their common wealthes He was apparelled most coÌ„monly in white in winter with a certaine kind of blaÌ„ket of Britaine and in summer with a certaine maner of cotton that was brought him from Asia Some times he would make him garments of cotton linnen wouen together oftentimes saying that he much delighted therein for that it was very cheape to be bought light to weare might best be washed in summer He would many times walke in Rome with a friend or twaine holding his hands behind and finding himselfe wearie would enter into the first neighbours house and sit downe vppon a banke of earth some times would there fall a sléepe in such maner that he had so great familiaritie with all men as if he had béene one of them He was mild pitiful patieÌ„t silent in all things of great continencie was neuer séene extréemely disteÌ„pered or at any time to vse furious words with any person for which cause no maner of person did wish him euil for his euil déeds but of a cancred and corrupt nature wherewith he was defiled CHAP. III. ¶ How Alexander being inuested with the Empire presently did visite and reforme his common wealth IN the second yeare of the Empire of Alexander his grandmother the great and renowmed matrone Mesia died in whose death he the Romane people also discouered great sorrow bestowing vppon her coarse so honourable a funeral and such solemne obsequies as apperteined to one that had béene cousen vnto the Emperour Seuerus and had for nephues the Emperour Heliogabalus and Alexander Mesia being dead the burden of gouernement was layed vpon Manea mother vnto Alexander whome al men conceiued to be in full possession of chastitie temperance prudence and patience but notwithstanding somewhat inclined to auarice whereof procéeded these words earely in the morning to be written vppon the gates if Manea had not charge of monie in the coÌ„mon wealth such a Romane had neuer béene borne in Rome Long time passed in which the Senate had not béene visited which Alexander forgat not as wel to visite as also to reforme not only by inquisition how they liued and gouerned the common wealth but also how they ordered their houses