Mother who was all besmear'd with his Blood Antonine after the Commission of this horrid Murther ran through the Court crying aloud That he had with great difficulty escap'd an imminent danger and commanded the Soldiers that guarded the Palace instantly to conduct him to his Army affirming That he should infallibly be kill'd if he staid in the Palace The Guards believ'd him not knowing what had hapned and ran along with him the People being infinitely surpriz'd to see the Emperor run through the City in the Evening in that Confusion As soon as he reach'd the Camp he went directly to the Place where the Statues and Gods of the Army are kept and falling down before them render'd Thanks and sacrific'd to them as for some signal Deliverance As soon as the Report of this Adventure was spread about the Camp the Soldiers some whereof were in the Baths others in their Beds ran all to the Place in great astonishment Here the Emperor came out to them but did not presently discover the Truth of the Matter but cry'd aloud That he had avoided a Danger that he had escap'd the Attempts of an Enemy meaning his Brother that after a long Dispute his Adversaries were vanquish'd that both of them had been in manifest Peril but Fortune had at last declar'd him sole Emperor Thus giving indirect Hints of what had hapned and willing rather that they should suspect what was done than that he should inform them And now for the Security of his Person and the Establishment of his Empire he promis'd every Soldier 2500 Attick Drachma's by way of Donative and augmented their Allowance of Corn by an Addition of half as much as they usually receiv'd commanding them to march to the Temples and Exchequers and be their own Paymasters thus squandring in one Day all the Treasure which Severus had amass'd in Eighteen Years by the Ruin and Oppression of his Subjects The Lure of so considerable a Sum easily tempted the Soldiers who understanding the Truth of the Matter from the Reports of those that fled out of the Palace and took care to publish an Account of the Murder proclaim'd him sole Emperor declaring Geta a Traytor Antonine remain'd that Night in the Temple of the Army but the next Day trusting to the Efficacy of his Largess upon the Soldiers he adventur'd to go to the Senate attended by his whole Army somewhat better appointed than is usual upon the like Occasions After he had entred the Senate and Sacrific'd ascending the Imperial Throne he spoke to the following effect ANTONINE'S SPEECH GEntlemen I am not ignorant that at first sight Men look upon the Murder of a Domestick with Abhorrence and Detestation The very Name upon the first mention is apt to draw the severest Censure on those that are guilty of the Crime Envy does not oftner pursue the Victor than Compassion attends the Vanquish'd These always seem to be injur'd and those are still the Wrong-doers But if a Man would impartially consider and without Prejudice in favour of him that is dead weigh the Matter of Fact with the Occasion and Design of it he will find that it is both rational and necessary to anticipate a Mischief we have just Reason to apprehend by a timely Revenge rather than tamely to attend till it fall upon us In this Case the Misery of the Wretch that suffers is aggravated by the Reproach of Cowardice Whereas on the other hand the Reputation of Valour which accrues to the Conqueror enhances the Benefit of his Deliverance Now Gentlemen what Attempts he has made against my Life by Poyson and what other Plots he has form'd against me you may examine by putting his Servants to the Question whom for that Reason I have commanded to give their Attendances in this Place that you might be throughly inform'd of the Truth Some of them have been tortur'd already whose Confessions you may order to be read But at last in the Presence of my Mother he set upon me being seconded by several Ruffians with drawn Swords who were prepar'd to commit this Villainy I had indeed by my extraordinary Caution and Sagacity discover'd his Traiterous Intentions and treated him as a profess'd Enemy after he had renounc'd all that Affection and Kindness that is due from a Brother and acted very unsuitably to that Relation To chastise an unlawful Aggressor is not only just but what is approv'd by the general Practice of Mankind An Instance of this we have in Romulus the Founder of this City who could not put up the Affront of his Brother that only reflected upon what he had built I pass over Germanicus Brother to Nero and Titus Brother to Domitian Marcus himself tho' a Man of great Wisdom and Temper resented the Indignity put upon him by Lucius his Son in-Law so highly that nothing less than his Ruine could atone for it which he afterwards contriv'd But I justly alarm'd by the manifest Danger I was in from the Poyson and Sword that threatned me have executed Vengeance upon an Enemy his Behaviour having pronounc'd him such 'T is your Duty on this Occasion to return Thanks to the Immortal Gods for the preserving one of your Emperors to suppress the Spirit of Faction and Division reigning amongst you and having only one Prince unanimously to support his Interests and enjoy the common Benefit of Repose and Security As Jove alone hath all the Power above so 't is his Pleasure there should be one only Potentate on Earth Having thus spoke in a loud Voice and great Rage frowning all the time upon his Brother's Friends he return'd in haste to his Palace leaving most of the Senators under great Terrors and Apprehensions and instantly massacred all his Brother's Adherents Ministers and Menial Servants that were in or about his Palace without any respect to Age his Cruelty extending even to Infants Their dead Bodies were contemptuously thrown into Carts and hurried out of the City where they were burnt in Heaps without the Decency of common Ceremonies No Man escap'd that had the least Acquaintance with Geta. All Wrestlers Charioteers Players Buffoons Singers Dancers that had any way contributed to his Diversion were all sacrific'd to his present Fury Men that were of the highest Consideration in the Senate for Quality and Estate he put to Death for slight or no Reasons upon any trivial Information exhibited against them under the Notion of Geta's Adherents He also put to death Commodus's Sister an aged Lady to whom the other Emperors had paid a singular Deference in regard of her near Alliance to Marcus whose Daughter she was Her Crime was the condoling with his Mother upon the Murder of her Son Geta. Besides these he caus'd to be murder'd Plautian's Daughter his late Wife who was at that time in Sicily his own Cousin-german Severus together with Pertinax's Son and the Son of Lucilla Commodus's Sister and in short utterly extirpated and extinguish'd the Imperial Line with the whole Patrician Nobility
HERODIAN's HISTORY OF THE Roman Emperors Containing Many Strange and Wonderful Revolutions of State In Europe Asia and Africa ALSO Their most Remarkable Embassies Speeches Antiquities c. Together with The most Solemn Ceremonies us'd at the Deification of the Roman Emperors With a Character of the Ancient Britains Done from the Greek By a Gentleman at Oxford LONDON Printed for John Hartley over against Grays-Inn in Holborn 1698. HERODIAN's HISTORY BOOK I. The PREFACE MOST Men that have spent their Time in Collecting Histories and retrieving the Memory of Things transacted long ago have made it their chief Business to transmit to future Ages the Fame of their own Learning to distinguish them in the Crowd of Authors For which Reason they have not been so sollicitous about the Truth of the Things delivered as that they might be handed down to us with all the Advantages of Eloquence and Language perswading themselves that altho in reporting Matters of great Antiquity some Part of their Story should be Fabulous yet the Reader would be charm'd with their Eloquence nor would the Truth of what they related be call'd in Question Others again out of a private Pique and Hatred to Tyrants or in flattering Princes Private Persons or Communities have stamp'd too great a Character upon mean and little Actions But as for my Part I report Things not taken upon Trust from others having few Witnesses and little Authority to support them but such as are fresh in the Memories of all Men which I have collected with great Care and Fidelity in the ensuing Memoirs hoping that the Knowledge of those great and many Occurrences which have hapned within the Compass of a few Years will not be unwelcom to Posterity For if we look back as far as the Reign of Augustus from whence we date the Roman Monarchy and from thence down to the Times of Marcus which is about Two hundred Years we shall not find so many Changes in the Succession to the Empire such various Events of Foreign and Civil Wars such Commotions of Nations Reductions of Towns both Roman and Barbarous such Earthquakes Plagues Lives of Princes so monstrously extravagant that former Ages are scarce able to furnish a Parallel Some of these enjoy'd the Empire a long Time but the Power of others was but short-liv'd Nay there are Instances of those that were only just declar'd Emperors and lost the Power the same Day For in Sixty Years there having been more Emperors of Rome than can be allow'd in common Computation for so short a Period of Time many Things hapned which may deserve our Admiration The more aged Emperors being Men of Experience in Affairs govern'd both themselves and their Subjects with great Caution and Diligence but others coming young to the Crown abandon'd themselves to Ease and Pleasure and in these a Spirit of Innovation was very prevalent and from this Disparity in their Age and Measures of Government arose great Variety in their Actions and Manners These Things I shall relate in Order having regard to the Time and Reign wherein they were done AN EPITOME OF THE First Book THE Emperor Marcus being taken with a Fit of Sickness and fearing lest his Son Commodus should degenerate from the Vertue of his Ancestors as Princes usually do he commits him to the Care and Guardianship of his Friends and Relations and dies Commodus succeeds him and in the Beginning of his Reign all things are duly and regularly administred but afterwards being corrupted by Flatterers he leaves the Pannonian War unfinish'd and resolves for Rome notwithstanding the Disswasions of Pompeianus At Rome he is receiv'd with Publick Rejoycings and having visited the Temples and return'd Thanks to the Senate he goes back to his Palace Then he appoints Perennius a Man sordidly Covetous to the Management of Publick Affairs and abandons himself wholly to his Pleasures His Person was comely his Diversions various as Hunting Fencing Chariot driving c. But at last he arriv'd at that Pitch of Madness that he commanded the People to call him Hercules the Son of Jupiter And having call'd the Months after his own Name he order'd his Statues to be erected in all the Parts of the City Then he chang'd his Name a second time and took up the Name and Family of a certain Gladiator deceas'd The Calamities of those Times were look'd upon as Judgments from Heaven punishing the Wickedness of the Prince in the Miseries of the People Such as was a great Plague in which he himself retir'd to Laurentum and a Famine occasion'd by Cleander's buying up the Corn. His Sister Lucilla first form'd a Design against his Life after her Perennius then Maternus and last of all his Concubine Marcia by whose Advice he was first poyson'd and afterwards strangled in the Calends of January The First Book THE Emperor Marcus had a great many Daughters but only two Sons the one call'd Verissimus died very young he that surviv'd was named Commodus Him his Father educated with all the Care imaginable drawing together from the most remote Parts by the Offers of considerable Pensions Men famous for their Learning that being always with his Son they might instruct him in whatever was proper for him to know His Daughters after they were of convenient Age he married to the most Considerable Men in the Senate not so much regarding in the Choice of a Son-in-Law Ancientness of Family or Largeness of Fortune as Probity of Manners and Innocency of Life looking upon the Endowments of the Mind as the only true and lasting Blessings He liv'd in the constant Practice of all Sorts of Vertues he was a great Lover and successful Studier of Antiquity insomuch that he surpass'd most of the Greeks and Romans of his Time the Truth whereof is attested by those Learned Remains which he left behind him which are yet in being amongst us As to his Behaviour he was extremely civil and courteous to all Men he shook Hands familiarly with all that came to him and commanded his Guards not to deny any Man Access to him that desir'd it He is the only Prince that was a Philosopher not in Notion and Speculation but in his Conversation and Pâ—â—ctice and hence it was that that Age producâ—d so many Wise Men for Subjects usually propose their Prince for their Imitation and still Copy after that Great Original Whatever therefore Marcus did either at home or abroad that may deserve the Praise of Courage or Conduct and how he behav'd himself against the Northern and Eastern Nations is abundantly recorded in the learned Labours of others But as for all those Things which since the Death of Marcus in the whole Course of my Life I have heard or seen some whereof I have had more particular Experience of as being in Publick Employments at the Time These I have undertaken to deliver down to Posterity Marcus being now weakned with Age and spent with the Cares and Fatigues of Government whilst he was in
African and Fellow-Citizen and as some say a Relation to Severus tho' others tax him with the having prostituted his Body to him in the Flow'r of his Age Severus from a low and mean Condition promoted him to great Wealth and Honour conferring upon him the Estates of such Persons as were put to Death sharing every thing with him except his Empire But he abus'd this Power and Dignity not abstaining from the highest Acts of Oppression and Violence in the advancing his own Interests or Designs out-doing all the Princes that went before him in Barbarity and Cruelty With his Daughter Severus match'd his Son by this Alliance uniting the two Families Antoninus was very much dissatisfied with the Match which was made up rather by Concert amongst Friends than by Consent of Parties and conceiv'd a mortal Aversion both to the Lady and her Father insomuch that he would neither lie in the same Bed nor live in the same House with her but thunder'd out repeated Menaces against them both which he threatned to execute as soon as he should get the Sovereign Power into his Hands The Lady told all these Things to her Father remonstrating to him how implacable his Hatred was against her which put the old Man into a mighty Rage how seeing that Severus was old and weakned by a long Indisposition and knowing the natural Fierceness and Impetuosity of Antoninus began to fear lest he should some Day fulfil his Threats Whereupon he resolv'd to be beforehand with him esteeming it better to be upon the offensive than tamely to expect the Accomplishment of these Menaces He had a great many Motives to spur on his Ambition to an Affectation of the Empire His Estate was greater than ever any Private Man possess'd the Soldiery was entirely at his Beck the whole Roman People paid a singular Honour and Deference to him he always appear'd in the Senatorian Robes embroider'd with large Studs of Gold and was always rank'd with Men of principal Note and such as had been twice Consuls When he came abroad he was attended with all the Circumstances that might encrease the Terror or Grandeur of his Appearance he had a Sword by his Side with all the Ensigns of Sovereign Dignity No Man was suffer'd to approach his Person and if any encounter'd him by accident he was oblig'd to retire Certain Gentlemen of his Retinue always march'd before him to make Proclamation that no Man should presume to draw near or look upon him but that they should all turn out of the Way and fix their Eyes on the Ground Plautian by this Deportment incurr'd the high Displeasure of Severus and became odious and insupportable to him insomuch that he retrench'd his Authority and exhorted him to abate something of his Pride and Arrogance Which incens'd him to that Degree that he resolv'd to attempt the Empire by Policy and Intrigue and in order to it form'd this Design There was a certain Tribune of Plautian's by Name Saturninus who had abandon'd himself to an implicit Obedience to the Will and Pleasure of his General which in truth all the rest had done as well as he yet he by a shew of an extraordinary Veneration for him above the rest had insinuated himself the most intimately into his Affections This Man he thought the most fit to be trusted with and the most proper to execute his secret Orders and commanded him to attend him in the Evening after all other Persons were withdrawn and when he was come told him That this was the Time for him to give the last Proof of his Zeal and Devotion to his Interest and for him to make a Requital proportionable to so great a Merit That it was in his Choice whether he would succeed him in the Post he was now in and be such a Man as he saw he was at that time or die instantly and receive the Rewards of his Contumacy and Disobedience That he ought not to be stagger'd with the Greatness of the Enterprize or startle at the Name of Emperor in regard of the free Entrance which he should have alone into the Imperial Bed-chamber when his Turn should come to be upon the Night-Guard at which time he might easily effect what he propos'd to him without Opposition or Discovery That he should not expect any further Orders from him but should go immediately to the Imperial Palace as if he brought Advices of Importance and Secresie from Plautian and so should fall upon the Old Man and his Son and kill them adding That the Matter was very feasible to a Man that would acquit himself with Bravery and assuring him That as he had a Share in the Hazard so he should also have in the Honour and Dignity to which this Enterprize would make way The Tribune was infinitely surpriz'd with the Proposal but not so much as to lose his Understanding in that Juncture but like a Man that had his Senses about him for he was a Syrian and 't is observ'd that the Eastern Countries produce generally very clear Heads considering the Violence of his Rage together with the Extent of his Power thought not fit to oppose him in any Circumstance of what he open'd to him for fear of being sacrific'd instantly to his Displeasure but hearing the whole Proposal with seeming Joy and Rapture as if he was ambitious to be an Instrument in the Execution and adoring him as if he had been already Emperor desir'd of him a Copy of his Commission for 't is the Custom of Tyrants when they command any Man to be cut off without Legal Process to give their Orders in Writing that some Footsteps might remain of the Authority by which the Party was put to Death Plautian blinded with Ambition gave him a Commission under his Hand and dispatch'd him away instantly to execute it strictly charging him to send for him as soon as the Business was done and before it was nois'd abroad that he might appear in the Palace before it was known that he had invaded the Empire Matters being thus concerted between them the Tribune left him and walk'd through all the Rooms of the Palace as he us'd to do without Controul But considering that it was absolutely impracticable for one Man to assassinate two Emperors that were lodg'd in different Apartments he went directly to Severus and calling to the Guards of the Imperial Bed-chamber desir'd Admittance to the Emperor's Presence in regard he had something to impart to him that nearly concern'd the Safety of his Person They immediately inform'd the Emperor hereof and by his Command the Tribune was brought before him After he was introduc'd addressing himself to Severus he accosted him with this surprizing Relation May it please your Majesty I don't come here as a Traytor to assassinate your Person as he that sent me imagines but according to my own Hopes and Desires to be your Preserver and Deliverer Plautian seeking by Intrigue and Policy to gain the Empire has Commission'd me to
naturally light and apt to be mov'd by every Breath of Air were perfectly ecstasy'd especially when they understood what Zeal and Affection the Emperor had testified for them And now Preparations were making for his Reception which they had resolv'd should be more magnificent than ever had been made for any Prince In order to this Masters of Musick were dispos'd in all Parts of the City with Instruments of differing Kinds and from this Variety of Sounds resulted a most delightful Harmony The Air was sweetned with Perfumes and sweet Gums in all the Entrances into the Town Flowers were strew'd and Flambeau's were carried before him He made his Entry with his whole Army and went in the first place to the Temple where he sacrific'd great Numbers of Victims and heap'd Incense upon the Altars From hence he went to the Tomb of Alexander where he offer'd up his Purple Robes and Belt and Rings set with Stones of great Price and whatever else he had about him that was of extraordinary Value and laid them upon the Tomb. The People seeing this were overjoy'd and dedicated their whole Time to Revelling and Jollity little suspecting the secret Intentions of the Emperor But all this was only a Varnish to disguise his hidden Purposes which were utterly to destroy all the Inhabitants The Cause of his secret Hatred to them was this He had been inform'd while he was in Rome that both before and after his Brothers Death they had often jested very irreverently upon him They are a People naturally addicted to drolling and making Satyrical Touches on Things and Men not sparing even the most eminent They look upon it only as pleasant Raillery but it galls those to the quick who are made the Subjects of it especially if it have some Ground of Truth for those Jests still make the deepest Wounds that touch upon a real Guilt They had frequently made very scurrilous Reflections upon him not waving even the Subject of his Brother's Murder His Mother they call'd in contempt Jocasta and ridicul'd him for pretending to personate Achilles and Alexander the mightiest and most valorous Hero's of Antiquity himself coming so far short of the ordinary Proportion of Men. These things were highly disobliging to him and incens'd him to that degree being naturally cholerick and sanguinary that he resolv'd to contrive their Destruction After the Festival Jollity was over the Town being very full of People which resorted thither from all Quarters he put out an Edict commanding all the Young Men in the City to rendezvous on a certain Plain setting forth his Intention of constituting a Phalanx in Honour of Alexander that as he had a Spartan and a Macedonian Phalanx so he would have another which should bear the Name of that Heroe He order'd them also to marshal themselves into Ranks and to stand at a convenient Distance one from another that he might the better take a View of them and upon consideration of their Age Stature and Make of Body judge which would be the fittest for his Service The Alexandrian Youth easily believ'd him and conceiv'd mighty Hopes as they might do upon very good Grounds by reason of that extraordinary Respect which he had shewn the City and assembled in great Numbers at the Place appointed together with their Fathers and Brothers very much rejoicing at their fair Prospects When they were rang'd the Emperor walk'd in amongst them laying his Hand upon them as he pass'd by and commending one thing in one Man and another thing in another till they were all enclos'd by his Army before they were aware of any such Design As soon as the Emperor perceiv'd that his Army had encompass'd them and that they were all enclos'd as it were in a Net he withdrew from amongst them with the Guard that attended him and giving the Signal to his Soldiers they instantly fell upon them being without Arms and surrounded and cut them all to pieces with all the other Multitude that were there assembled Some of the Soldiers carried on the Tragedy of the Day others dragg'd the dead Bodies into the Pits that they had dug for that purpose after which they rais'd over them a great Tumulus of Earth Some that were hurried into these Pits were but half dead others were not so much as wounded Great Numbers of the Soldiers also perish'd for those that had any Remains of Life and Force fastned upon those that push'd them into the Pits and pull'd them down along with them The Slaughter was so great that all the Plain was floated with Blood which discharging it self into the Sea and the Nile discolour'd the Mouth of that mighty River and all the Neighbouring Shore After the Emperor had thus executed his Revenge on the Alexandrians he left that City and return'd to Antioch and soon after extremely affecting the Surname of Parthicus and the Glory of Conquering the Eastern Barbarians in the profoundest Tranquillity he fram'd this Project He sent Ambassadors with Letters and rich Presents to Artabanus King of Parthia in his Letters he demanded his Daughter in Marriage and set forth at large That he was an Emperor and the Son of an Emperor that he could not marry the Daughter of a Private Person that his Station in the World oblig'd him to match with some Queen or Princess of high Birth that the Roman and Parthian Empires were the greatest in the World that if the two Crowns were united and cemented by this Alliance into one Empire without any Rivers or Boundaries to divide them as heretofore the whole World beside would not be able to balance their Powers in Conjunction that the Barbarous Nations that are subject to both Empires would be easily kept within the Bounds of their Duty provided they were suffer'd to enjoy their own Governors and Constitutions that the Roman Infantry and Pike-men were the best in the World for a close Engagement that the Parthians excell'd all other Nations in the Force of their Cavalry and the Dexterity of their Archers that these Things concurring with a Provision of all War-like Stores would put them in a Capacity of establishing and maintaining with ease an Universal Monarchy that whereas heretofore the Parthian Spices and Silks and the Metals and curious Manufactures of the Romans were only imported by Merchants and that very rarely and by stealth that after this Union there should be a free and open Use and Intercourse of all Things whatsoever between the two Nations Upon receipt of the Letters the Parthian at first refus'd to accord him his Demands and remonstrated to him the Inconveniences of a Match between a Roman and one that was Barbarous That it would be impossible for them to agree each being an utter Stranger to the others Language and their Diet and Habit so vastly different that he had Noble men in Rome whose Daughters he might take to Wife as he had his Arsacidae that it was not convenient their Blood should be corrupted by any Foreign
the Prerogative should be lower'd and the Privileges of the Subject advanc'd and Arbitrary Power should sink into an Aristocracy That there was no Reason why they should esteem him unworthy of the Empire or judge it the Error of a blind Chance by which he was exalted from a Private Gentleman of Rome to this high Station That there was no Advantage in high Birth unless it was accompanied with Moderation and Clemency That the Gifts of Fortune were often cast on those that did not deserve them but the Vertues of the Mind stamp'd a real Value and Dignity on all that possess'd them That Estate Luster of Family c. might make a Man happy but were not good Topicks of Commendation because they are deriv'd from others but Gentleness and Humanity are not only admir'd by all Men but redound to the real Praise of those whom they adorn That the Publick had receiv'd no Benefit from the Noble Parentage of Commodus nor from Antonine's succeeding his Father That these Princes take the Empire as it were by Right of Inheritance and abuse it as their own Patrimony but those that receiv'd it from the free Gift of the People will always remain sensible of the infinite Obligation and will still be meditating Returns proportionable to so great a Merit Besides this Nobility dispos'd them to Arrogance and a Contempt of their Subjects as their Inferiors whereas those that advanc'd through inferior Employments to this high Dignity would endeavour to defend it as the Reward of their Industry and will pay the same Respect and Deference which they us'd to do to those who were their Superiors before this Elevation As for his part he would do nothing without their Approbation they should be his Counsellors and have a Share in the Conduct of all Publick Affairs and should enjoy their ancient Liberty and Repose which their High-born Princes had depriv'd them of and which Marcus and after him Pertinax both Men of mean Extraction had endeavour'd to restore Concluding That it was better to be the first of a Noble Family than to debase that Nobility which was transmitted from Glorious Ancestors by declining from the generous Paths in which they trod As soon as the Letter was read all the Senators broke out into Acclamations of Joy and unanimously decreed him Imperial Honours But they were more overjoy'd that Antonine was dead than that Macrinus succeeded him which was express'd by Publick Rejoycings made on that Occasion All common Informers and Servants that had accus'd their Masters were publickly Gibbeted and what by Proscriptions what by Capital Punishments inflicted on profligate Villains the City and indeed the whole Empire was pretty well purg'd Those that lay conceal'd were quiet for fear of the Justice of the Government So the People liv'd in Security and enjoy'd at least an Appearance and as it were a first Dawn of Liberty during that one Year in which Macrinus reign'd Macrinus commitred a great Soloecism in not disbanding and dispersing the Soldiers and in that he did not hasten to Rome where his Presence was greatly desired and whither he was invited by the daily repeated Clamours of the People But he staid in Antioch where he began to affect a long Beard and slow Gate He would scarce vouchsafe to speak to those that came to him and when he did he often spoke so low it was a hard matter to tell what he said In these Particulars he copied after Marcus and they were the only Actions of that Prince which he imitated for he abandon'd himself to dissolute Courses became a great frequenter of Plays and Musick-meetings neglected Publick Affairs and appear'd always in Publick with Buttons and a Belt curiously embroider'd with Gold and Precious Stones This Luxury was by no means pleasing to the Army that look'd upon it as an unmanly Softness better becoming a Woman or the Barbarous Nations than the Emperor of Rome These things I say gave great disgusts to the Soldiers they dislik'd his Course of Life as too effeminate and calling to mind Antonine's Way of Living which was such as became a Soldier and a Man of Business they condemn'd Macrinus's Luxury Besides they murmur'd extremely that they were not permitted to return home but were constrain'd to live in a Camp in a Foreign Country where sometimes they wanted necessary Provisions and that too after a Peace was concluded They observ'd too at the same time how softly and delicately the Emperor liv'd So in short things tended to a Rebellion They began to speak disrespectfully of him and only sought for some sort of Pretence to remove this Author of their Grievances Thus it pleas'd the Fates that Macrinus having revell'd it in Imperial Dignity for the space of one Year should lose his Life and Empire together Fortune soon affording a slight Occasion to the Soldiers for the effecting what they desir'd There was a certain Lady call'd Maesa born in Phoenicia in the City Emesa She was Sister to Julia Severus's Wife and Mother to Antonine and had liv'd many Years in the Emperor's Court in her Sisters Time both in the Reign of Severus and Antonine but after her Sisters Death and the Murder of Antonine was commanded by Macrinus to depart into her own Country with her Effects which were very considerable by reason of her living at Court so many Years Maesa obey'd the Orders and return'd into Phoenicia This old Lady had two Daughters the elder Soaemis and Mammaea the younger Each of these had a Son Soaemis call'd hers Bassian Mammaea's was nam'd Alexian Both the Youths were bred up under the Care of their Mother and Grandmother Bassian was about Fourteen Years old Alexian had just enter'd his Tenth Year They were both Priests of the Sun which is the God of the Phoenicians and in their Language is call'd Heliogabulus They have a magnificent Temple built for him adorn'd with Gold and Silver and Precious Stones Nor do the Natives only worship this God but all the neighbouring Princes and Potentates send rich Presents to him every Year They have no Statue made with Hands in the likeness of the God as is usual amongst the Greeks and Romans but only a huge Stone that is round at the bottom and grows sharper by degrees towards the top The Colour of it is Black and the Figure Conical The Tradition is that it fell from Heaven It hath some little Rudenesses and Marks upon it They say 't is the Image of the Sun not made by any mortal Artificer and esteem it as such Bassian was ordain'd his Priest and performed the Functions of the Priests Office as being the Elder appearing publickly in his barbarous Formalities which were a Gown of Purple Silk flower'd with Gold that came down to his Feet and Hands all his Legs being cover'd with Under-Vestments of the same Silk Upon his Head he wore a Crown richly adorn'd with Precious Stones of several Colours Besides he was then in the flower of his Age and the
goodliest Youth of his Time So Youth and Native Beauty being set off with all the Advantages of a soft and charming Dress might well give occasion to his Admirers to compare him with the beautiful Images of Bacchus While he was sacrificing and dancing about the Altars according to the barbarous Rites of the Country with Flutes Pipes and all sorts of Musical Instruments all the People but especially the Soldiers took a stricter View of him than ordinary either because they knew he was of the Imperial Line or the Charms of his Beauty drew the Eyes of all Men upon him There was at that time a great Army near the Town that lay there to cover Phoenicia but was afterwards commanded away as shall be related in due time The Soldiers came every day to Town and to the Temple for the sake of Divine Worship and were wonderfully pleas'd with seeing the Lad. Some of these were Maesa's Acquaintance that were fled from Rome amongst whom she whisper'd when she perceiv'd how much they admir'd the Youth That he was Antonine ' s Natural Son tho' he was reputed another Man's That when she liv'd at Court in her Sisters Time the said Emperor had Intrigues with her Daughters that were then young and handsom Whether this was true or only an Artifice remains uncertain but however it was as soon as they got hold of this Report they handed it from one Soldier to another till it was publish'd through the whole Army It was also given out That Maesa had a prodigious Fond of Money and that she would freely distribute it amongst them provided they would re-establish her Family in the Empire Hereupon it was concerted That if she would come privately by Night to the Camp with her Family they would receive her and proclaim the Son of Antonine Emperor Which was no sooner propos'd to the old Lady but she determin'd instantly to put her self into their Hands being resolv'd to run any Risque rather than live privately and be thus neglected Pursuant to these Counsels she got out of the City privately with her Daughters and Grand-children and was conducted by the said Soldiers of her Acquaintance that were fled from Rome to the Fortifications of the Camp where she easily gain'd Admittance and the Question being put the Soldiers were all unanimous that their young Emperor should be called Antonine After which they put upon him Purple Robes Then they laid in Provisions and took in their Wives and Children and all their Effects that were in the adjacent Country or Villages and shutting up their Gates began to put themselves into a Posture of Defence so as to endure a formal Siege if Occasion should require Macrinus receiv'd Advertisement hereof when he was in Antioch and the News was carried to all the other Armies that a Son was found to Antonine and that Julia's Sister distributed Money to the Soldiers They took Things upon trust and thought every Thing true that was related to them for such and were in great uncertainty of Mind Their Disaffection to Macrinus and a kind of Compassion which they had for the Memory of Antonine were of some force to make them desire a Revolution but the Hopes of Gain had the greatest weight and influenc'd great Numbers to fly over to the new Antonine Macrinus look'd upon all this as a Childish Enterprize and retaining his usual gaiety of Temper staid at home and sent Julian one of his Generals with a sufficient Force as he thought to reduce the Rebels who no sooner approach'd their Walls but they shew'd their young Emperor upon the Turrets and Ramparts and shouted aloud Behold the Son of Antonine They also held up Bags full of Money well understanding that nothing was a more effectual Bait to tempt Traytors And so it hapned for Julian's Soldiers easily believ'd he was Antonine's Son and perswading themselves that he extremely resembled him cut off Julian's Head and sent it to Macrinus and were receiv'd with open Gates into the Camp After this Reinforcement the Rebels were in Condition not only to hold out a Siege but to engage in a pitch'd Battel Their Numbers also encreas'd every Day by Deserters that came over to them As soon as Macrinus receiv'd Advice of this Disaster he appointed a general Muster of his Forces and advanc'd with his whole Army against the Rebels resolving to force their Trenches Antonine found that his Soldiers would not stay to be attack'd in their Camp but were ready to march out against Macrinus and give him Battel So he drew his whole Force out into the Field The Engagement was in the Confines of Syria and Phoenicia Antonine's Soldiers were alarm'd by the Fears of Punishment for their traiterous Practices in case they should be vanquish'd and therefore they exerted their utmost Vigour but Macrinus's Men fought more lazily great Numbers deserting and going over to the Rebels insomuch that Macrinus fearing lest they should all abandon him and he should be made Prisoner by the Rebels and apprehending that his Usage would not be the best if he should fall into their Hands when it was almost Night and his Soldiers yet maintain'd the Fight he threw off his Imperial Cloak and all the other Badges of Majesty and fled being accompanied only by a few Captains whom he esteem'd the most faithful to his Interests He shav'd his Beard that he might not be discover'd and putting himself in travelling Equipage he posted both Night and Day with his Head cover'd preventing even the Fame of his bad Fortune The Captains were very diligent in pressing the Coaches as if Macrinus had still been Emperor and they had been sent on some important Dispatches Thus Macrinus escap'd The Engagement continu'd the Praetorian Band which is a select Number of the tallest Men chosen out of the whole Army to guard the Emperor's Person maintain'd their Ground and sustain'd the Fury of all the Enemies Forces the rest were all for Antonine But when Macrinus had not been seen of a long time nor any Ensigns of Imperial Majesty could be descry'd and his Men knew not what was become of him whether he was slain or fled they were in great uncertainty what Measures to take but resolv'd at last to hazard themselves no longer for a Man that was no where to be found and yet they were afraid to render themselves and be cast on the Faith of the Enemy As soon as Antonine understood by Deferters that Macrinus was fled he sent Heralds to signifie to his Men That it was in vain to fight for a Coward and a Fugitive and offer'd them a Pardon and Oblivion of what was past and swore he would observe it and constituted them his Life-guard They accepted the Terms and submitted Whereupon Antonine sent out a Detachment to pursue Macrinus who was got a considerable way before them They found him at Chalcedon a City of Bithynia extremely indispos'd by the Fatigue of so long a Journey and took him in his Concealment in
Affection for such an arm'd Virago and therefore he sent for the Image of Urania which is held in great Veneration by the Carthaginians and all the Nations of Africk It is suppos'd to be erected by the Phoenician Dido when she founded Carthage on the Ground which she encompass'd with the Bulls Hide The Africans call it Urania and the Phoenicians Astroarch or the Moon Whereupon the Emperor remark'd That the Match would be very suitable between the Sun and Moon and commanded the Image to be brought to Rome with all the rich Ornaments of the Temple and a very considerable Treasure which he order'd to be given with the Goddess as her Portion Upon her arrival she was plac'd at a small Distance from the God and the Emperor issu'd out Orders to the People in Rome and Italy to celebrate a Festival with all the Demonstrations of Joy publick and private for the Marriage of the Gods He built also a large and magnificent Temple near the City whither he made an Anniversary Procession with his God about Midsummer He exhibited all sorts of Publick Entertainments as Stage-plays Chariot-races Banquets c. which he thought were of a popular Nature and serv'd to amuse the Multitude The Procession was in this manner The God was seated in a Chariot richly adorn'd with Gold and Precious Stones in this he was carried out of the City with great Solemnity to the Temple The Chariot was drawn by Six white Horses that were above the ordinary Proportion and richly accouter'd The God held the Reins No Mortal ever sat in the Chariot but all stood around and attended the Divine Charioteer The Emperor held the Bridle and ran all the way backward keeping his Eyes fix'd upon the Image The Way was strow'd with Filings of Gold and he was supported by Soldiers on both Sides to prevent his falling or stumbling his Eyes being so engag'd that he could not see his Way The People ran on each Side with Torches Flowers and Garlands Then came the Images of all the Gods with all the Ensigns of Imperial Majesty and the richest Furniture of the Palace and the most magnificent Ornaments of the Temple All the Gentry of Rome and the whole Army march'd before the God with solemn Pace and conducted him to the Temple where when he was plac'd and the Sacrifices and Solemnities whereof we have before made mention were perform'd the Emperor from vastly high Turrets erected there by his Direction scatter'd by way of Largess amongst the Multitude Tickets for Goblets of Gold and Silver for Clothes and Linen of all sorts for all Kinds of Beasts wild and tame except Hogs from which he abstain'd in conformity to the Phoenician Customs Great Numbers perish'd in the scrambling for these Tickets being trod to death in the Crowd or push'd upon the Spears of the Soldiers so that it prov'd a fatal Festival to many He often danc'd and drove in Publick disdain'd to cloak his Follies and appear'd abroad with his Eyes and Cheeks painted disfiguring that Beauty which Nature had bestow'd upon him by an uncomely Varnish Maesa in this interim observ'd how much the Soldiers were disgusted with the Extravagances of their Prince and fearing if any thing should befall him that she should be forc'd to relapse into her private Condition she perswaded the light headed Youth to adopt Mammaea's Son that was his Cousin-german and her Grandson and declare him Caesar To compass which she accosted him with a cajolling Harangue wherein she represented to him how suitable it would be to his Character to attend Religious Rites and Ceremonies to perform the Functions of his Office and assist at the Worship and Adoration of his God that in the mean time some Person should be impower'd to take care of the Civil Government to take from him the Burden of a Crown and free him from the Avocations which the Affairs of the Empire might otherwise give him and that this Trust ought rather to be committed to an Ally and a Relation than to a Stranger Hereupon Alexian was alter'd into Alexander the Name of that renown'd Macedonian who was so highly esteem'd and honour'd by Antonine the suppos'd Father of both these Princes For both Maesa and her Daughters with a sort of Pride and Vanity publish'd their unlawful Amours with him to inflame the Affections of the Soldiers to their Sons So Alexander was declar'd Caesar and join'd with Antonine in the Consulate after which he enter'd into the Senate and this Matter was ratified by the Authority of that Assembly The Point was carried without any Opposition all Men concurring in the Decree tho' nothing could be more ridiculous and absurd Antonine who was only Sixteen Years old being made Father to Alexander who was then in his Twelfth Year by vertue thereof No sooner was he declar'd Caesar but Antonine had a mind to train him up in his own Method He would have him dance and bear a Share in the Priest's Office wear the same Habit and do the same Thing that he did But his Mother had an Eye upon him and restrain'd him from all Indecencies that might ill beseem a Man in his Station sent privately for Masters in all Sorts of Learning infus'd into him honest and sober Notions and Principles accustom'd him to Wrestling and other manly Exercises and instructed him in the Greek and Latin Learning These Things highly offended Antonine insomuch that he repented that he had adopted him and made him his Collegue He commanded all his Masters instantly to depart the Court some of the most eminent he put to death others he banish'd ridiculously alledging for Reasons to justifie these Severities That they corrupted his Son that they would not suffer him to dance and revel that they ty'd him up to Modesty of Behaviour and instructed him in Manly Duties Yea his Infatuation ran so high that he advanc'd Stage-players and common Actors to the highest Dignities in the Empire He gave the Command of the Praetorian Band to one that had danc'd publickly on the Theater he took another from the Stage to superintend the Education of Youth and to approve and admit such as were elected into the Order of Gentlemen or Senators He committed to Chariot-drivers Comedians and Buffoons the Execution of the most important Trusts in the Government and gave the Lieutenancy of Provinces to such of his Slaves and Freed-men as had the greatest Vices to recommend them These Things bred Discontents and ill Humours in the People but especially the Soldiers they despis'd him for his Niceness in adjusting the Air of his Face which was such as a Woman could not be guilty of without forfeiting her Claim to Modesty He wore Necklaces of Gold his Clothes and Garniture were wonderfully effeminate and thus attir'd he danc'd frequently in Publick So the Army and People were alienated from him and biass'd strongly in favour of Alexander They conceiv'd greater Hopes in a Youth that was soberly and vertuously educated and guarded him with