That her Mother offended not hauing Iupiter as a warrant for her transgression Scribonia wife to Augustus was repudiated for hauing too freely complained of the immoderate power of this new friend her fall assured Liuia and her fault taught her hus to gaine the heart of her husband shee must please his humour wherefore being asked how shee could so absolutely rule her husband she answered in not prying into his actions and in dissembling his affections Neuer did woman giue better aduice to her husband for seeing that Augustus to haue reigned seuerely liued not securâ—ly Quid viuis si perire te tam multorum interest quis finis â—rit supplici rum uis sanguinis D. Aug. and that Cinna did goe about to kill him in a towne of the Gaules at such time as hee was to offer sacrifice and to giue him vp as an oblation for the publike weale Augustus was much diâ—contented with this enterprize and wished hi death seeing so many men dâ—sired that hee should die Seâ— ritate nihil adhuc prof cisti tenta quâ—modo tiâ—icâ—dat clementia ignosce Cinnae deprehensus est iam nocere tibi non potest prodesse faâ—ae tuae potest D Liv. and that a man of that qualitie Nephew of Pompey should attempt to take away his life being in this perplexitie Liuia his wife spake vnto him these memorable words The Remedies you haue vsed haue not preuailed embrace their contraries seuerity hitherto hath beene vnprofitable essay what clemency will doe pardon Cinna his designe is discouered hee cannot annoy your life and may increase your reputation Augustus was perswaded by her caused Cinna come vnto him and shewing him how hee was enformed of his enterprise said vnto him I haue already giuen you life as an enemy and rebell I giue it you now as a traitor and parricide Contendamus vtrum ego meliore fide vitam tibi dedeâ—man tu debeas let vs speake no more of it let vs be friends let vs make it appeare which of vs will doe better I in pardoning or you in repenting As Tiberius had his fauourite Liuia also had hers to obtaine any thing of Tiberius the passage must be through the discretion of Seianus and hee that will purchase the fauour of Liuia must sacrifice to Virgulania whose Authority in the Citie was so great that none durst enterprize any thing against her how iust soeuer it were Amicitia Augustae Viâ—gula niam extulâ—rat supra leges Tac. for shee did raise her aboue the Lawes moreouer shee was a woman so fierce and arrogant that being called before the Senate shee refused to appeare although no person was dispensed withall not the Vestall Nunnes Vestales in foro Iudicio audiri quoties testimonium dicerent vetus mos fuit Tac. Virgulania monitu principis pugionem nepoti misit Tac. Tiberius was constrained for the respect hee bore his Mother to be troubled for any thing that concerned her in such manner that her Nephew hauing throwne his wife out of the windowes hee incontinently went to visit the Chamber and saw that this woman did not precipitate her selfe as hâ—r husband did alleadge for they beheld the markes of the effect to push her and of her resistance to withstand As long as this Princesse was aliue hee moderated his will submitting it for respect vnto her to her councels and Seianus likewise in dutie humbled his designes to her commandements not daring to gainsay them Tunc veluti frâ—nis exoluti proruperunt Tac. but after this death all things grew irregular and disorderly and there was now no more hope or refuge for innocency Sanctitate domus priscum ad morem comis vltra quaÌ„ aâ—â—iâ—uis foeminis probatum materium potius vxor facilis cum artibus mariti simulatione filij bene composita C. Caesar who succeeded in the Empire praised her publikely before the Pallace for that she had religiously gouerned her houshold after the old fashion not permitting the present time to bring in againe those vanities and curiosities which had so much marred the simplicitie of former ages a Princesse gentle and courteous and of a higher straine of Princely carriage then other women of her time a mother that would not endure any thing a wife that had nothing in her vnsufferable and so discreet that she could sagely fit her selfe to the wisedome of Augustus and the dissimulation of Tiberius The Senate receiued Letters from Tiberius against Agrippina and her children It was thought they had beene written long before but that the Empresse had detained them There is nothing in man but his ambition which waxeth not old Thucid. Plut. foreseeing that they would cause some trouble and although her ambition was not growne old yet shee desired to passe the remainder of her dayes in peace They accused not Nero or Drusus of any crime against the State nor of leuying of troopes nor of introducing of nouelties but onely to be debauched there could be nothing said against the Mother but to reproach her with her pride and stubbornenesse The Letters being read there was some question touching the deliberating thereof Queis nulla ex honesto spes publica malâ— in occasionem gratiae trahuntur Tac. and as the opinions were more or lesse rigorous according to the nature of those which were too opâ—ne some Senators whose hopes could not be grounded vpon honour who sought for occasion of grace and fauour in the miseries of the publike were of opinion contrary to the more ancient and wiser who lifting vp their thoughts higher then these found that there was no minde so strong and firme but ought to be very reserued in giuing either counsell or iudgement vpon the liberty or life of him who might succeede the Prince Tiberius had giuen the charge of the Acts and Records of the Senate to Iunius Rusticus who hauing neuer before giuen any proofe of constancy or courage shewed notwithstanding that it were good to proceede slowly in this businesse that they may giue the old man time and space to repent himselfe and reuoke his commandement Dandum interstitium paenitentiae Tac. Breuibus momentis secunda verti possunt Tac. for things of greatest moment oftentimes change themselues on a sodaine that nature also was strong and flourishing in the house of Germanicus but in that of Tiberius weake and feeble Vpon this contention the people who would not indure that these Princes should be treated as criminals detest this iniustice and casting the blame therof vpon Seianus carry the effigies of Agrippinae and Nero through the Citie assemble themselues about the Pallace cry out these Letters were false and counterfeit Fâ—rebantur sub nominibus consularium fictae in Seiarum sententiae Tao make Seianus his processe and faigning the opinions of the Senators the boldest of the company hauing gathered them of his companions pronounce against him the sentence of death And hereupon there wanted not Satyres
Husband My precedent actions will answer the present It is not fit a woman should haue particular friends but to estâ—eme in generall these of her husband I neuer knew what it meant to loue any but the friends of my Husband and as farre as it lay in my power I haue not fixed my eyes nor thoughts vpon any other If I had any beauty I neither beleeued it nor suffered I should be spoken to of it and made no reckoning of it but for decencie They haue reason to say that I was too proud It is true my disdaines haue serued my designes for disdainfull beauties intrap not the hearts I must needes auow that the passion of loue hath giuen place in my minde to that of ambition Agrippina aequi impatiens dominandi auida virilibus curis faeminarum vitia exuerat Tac. and that I was more delighted in imployments which doe onely appertaine to manly courages then to vanities which please but the effeminate It is long since I haue quitted the imperfections of my sexe to take male and generous thoughts But these Impostures are but the smoakes of that burning desire of Seianus to arriue vnto the Empire for seeing that Rome beares me good will and that this good will is sustained but by the opinion they conceiue of some merit The property of good men is to doe well but of the wicked to speake ill and do worse Plut. hee did defame mee as a wicked woman but as hee surmounted me in speaking ill I haue alwayes surpassed him in doing well Let him content himselfe to haue reduced me to that estate as he needes no more to stand in feare of me and I finde consolation that he hath brought me to that point that he can doe me no worse for I will esteeme for great fauours the greatest harmes he can doe me Let him not dread that I will any more oppose his ambition he is to stand in greater awe of fortune then of me I doe not thinke she will be more fauourable to a wicked designe then she hath beene partiall in the protection of a iust and lawfull cause The Aspect of ambition increaseth by satiety Tiberius was wont to say that a man which had passed the age of sixtie yeare should not streach his hand to the people to haue voice or suffrage Plut. His ambition hath no bounds sacietie giues him appetite he was wont to say in the beginning that he did content himselfe with the Office of Colonell of the Gard he would haue no more And now when for his old age he should onely present his hand to the Physician he would charge it with a Tributes staffe to be in the next degree to Soueraigne command did he asâ—e his courage whether he were capable of it hee neuer saw battell but painted neuer drew sword but for a show After all this his will is that I should liue to the end that death may serue me as a punishment Vici quem vicerim qaeuris metum mortis qui victores gentium vicit Sen. not permitting me to shew that a woman can ouercome the terrour of death which very victors redoubted and seemes that all the passages to come to death or to cause death come to me are stopt It must needes be that I shall finde it in my affliction and that my courage yeelde vnto it I will not resist his violence Officium pium sed inutile Ouid. consolations will redouble it I will refuse them from what part soeuer they come these of my friends are commendable in them but vnprofitable vnto me If abstinence affliction solitude and griefe may not with-draw me from this misery Expectandus exitus quem natura decreuit Sen. And if it must needes be that I liuing dye and dying liue I shall attend what end the gods shall be pleased to send me and hap what will as I haue liued Agrippina I will dye Agrippina The smart of her wounds daily inflaming He that is vnder the power of an other impaires his condition by his impatience and liberty of his complaints she alwayes increased and renewed without ceasing the complaints which an exercised grief could not moderate her words were reported to Tiberius who was very glad that she continually gaue him occasion to make worse their ill vsage to her for it would grieue him that her patience would oblige him to any curtesie hee commanded the Captaine in whose ward she was not to let passe these bad speeches without blowes this cruell man who well perceiued that to please Tiberius hee must outrage Agrippina hearing her to perseuere in her complaints and reproaches against Tiberius Conuitianti oculum per Ceturionnem verberibus excussit Suet. did so inhumanely and brutishly beate her that he pulled out one of her eyes After this barbarous outrage she would no longer liue and no more to attend death but to goe and meet him shee remained some dayes without eating Mori in edia destinanti per vim ore diducto infulciri cibum iussit Suet. but the Souldiers forcibly opening her mouth constrained her to swallow downe nutriment shee was in this more vnfortunate then others that may dye at their pleasure and haue no impediment but their will she would faine die but they will that she liue Ad morienduÌ„ nihil aliud in mora quam velle Sen. Non magis crudeles sunt qui volentem viuere occidunt quam qui mori volentes non sinunt Sen. Death is the onely receit for her euils and they keepe her by force from it those men are not lesse cruell who kill them which desire to liue then those who doe compell them to liue which desire to dye Seianus for all this is not where hee weenes all that hee did to aduance his proiect recoyles it for Tiberius being rid of the mistrust of Germanicus of the iealousie of Drusus and reuenged of the pride of Agrippina and her children thinkes of nothing that might more trouble him then the arrogance and vnlimited power of Seianus this ioynes new suspicions to old feares and puts in his head that he dreamed of the Empire Quos diâ— fortuna sequnta est eos repente velut fatigata destituit Q Cur. Fortune also began to be weary of following him for he went too fast as if she had but raised him to cause him to fall from so high a pitch as no body should dare to stretch out their arme or present their bosome to receiue him Tiberius who loued him began to feare him and seeing the Senate to make more account of him then himselfe Dion saith that Tiberius seeing that Sejanus was followed and redoubted of the Senators feared least they should make him Emperor entred into some apprehension that they would make him Emperour and from thenceforth purposed to plucke this thorne out of his heart but he did nothing rashly for it was dangerous not onely to vndertake to ruine him but
that it did but giue too much confidence to one who already had gained the greatest power and who held himselfe but miserable if he did not command not enduring to liue as a priuate person heauen which would haue no fruit from so bad a tree disposed of all otherwise Drusus sporting himselfe in the towne of Pompey threw a peare vp into the ayre and receiuing it with an open mouth was choaked and this young maid bearing her part at the miserable end of her father made her Epithalamium at the foot of the gibbet as may be seene in its proper place their hate was not so inraged against Seianus as there wanted not some who spake that hee had made this mariage of purpose to dispatch his sonne in law This opinion could be built vpon no other foundation Miror fuisse qui traderent à Seiano necatum Suet. but that this young Prince made shew of great disdaine of this alliance or too much distaste to be the sonne in law of a man so odious which had no honour in him his predecessors had acquired him none Vaine is the praise which commeth not from a commendable man Plut. neither could hee leaue his children any and receiued no praise but from them whom himselfe dare not commend Drusus could not endure this insolencie nor that Tiberius should prefer strange counsels and affections before naturall Secreta viri corrupta uxore prâ—duntur Ta. he ceased not to tell his wife who betrayed him and his friends who deceiued him that it wanted but a little that Seianus was not Tiberius his fellow as well as hi coadiutor and his children kinsmen to Drusus that his ambition had some deepe ayme that it was not like to rest there for the first hopes of rule are difficult Prima dominandi spes in aâ—duo ubi sis ingressus adsunt studia ministri Taâ— but when men haue gotten vp meanes to maintaine themselues there are neuer wanting this he said often and to many they were his ordinary complaints an afflicted spirit neuer ceaseth to bemoane it selfe and euer lay his hand vpon his sore According to mens natures they receiue their denomination for Dion saith that Drusus was called Castor and that sharpe pointed swords were called Drusians Tribunitia potestas summi fastigij vocabatur Tac. This prince bore an extreame hatred to Seianus and he was so ready to strike that they sirnamed him Castor and being no longer able to endure this gallant that play'd the companion with him had once his hand vp to strike him and the other also doing the like toward the blow Drusus struck him on the face Dion and Zonaras write that Seianus struck Drusus but there is no likelyhood he was so bold with the Emperors sonne which was young couragious an associate in the Empire and held in the power of tribune the greatest next to souerainty A stab is alwayes due for a box on the eare and is a correlatiue to it but those blowes which proceed from the princes hand ought to be receiued but with patience and humility he that may kill obligeth one when he doth but hurt him This so fresh an offence reuiued those which time had almost withered in Seianus the history notwithstanding reports not that hee made any complaint thereof Tib. Seianum singularem principalium onerum â—diutorem in omnia habuit Vell. nor that Tiberius did chide his sonne for hauing in such sort abused him whom he had chosen aboue all others to ayde him to support the principall affaires of the Empire for it is but a bad exployt to seeke occasions to prouoke the Emperour against the Prince Not dareing to complaine thereof hee resolues to be reuenged and as reuenge is alwayes ingenious to finde the meanes to satisfie the offended he found no better wedge to cleaue this knot withall than one made of the wood it self â—ara est concordia formae atque pudititia Iuve to win the wife to vndoe the husband she was faire but her beauty agreed not with her honor she consented to the sollicitations of Seianus vnto whom none refused to yeeld any thing seeing that Tiberius gaue him all acquaintance begat affection and that which at the beginning was but loue became adultery and the adultery witchcraft a strange blindnesse that a neece to Augustus the daughter in law to Tiberius the daughter of Drusus Se ac maiores posteros municipali adultero foedabat Ta. the sister of Germanicus the Emperors sonnes wife and the mother of two princes capable of attayning the Empire should staine her honour dishonour her house to consent to the pleasure of a plebeian but great beauties will bee admired and powerfull fauours are sought after Seianus could doe all through his fauour Vnto a question made vnto Aristotle wherefore is it that we loue that which is faire he answered Tupâ—lou to erotema and Liuia was beloued of euery one for her beauty to demand wherefore we loue that which is faire is the question of a blinde man but this is farre greater blindnesse to thinke that great men cannot doe whatsoeuer they desire Hauing the body then at his pleasure he managed the heart as he pleased the first limbe was the bridge to all the succeeding Foemina ' amissa pudicitia alia flagitia non abnuit Tac. When a woman hath lost her chastity she hath no more to lose or to refuse loue had caused the adultery ambition procured the murther and from the one they passed on boldly to the other Seianus infuseth into her spirit a desire to be the wife of an Emperor she beleeues that he could doe what he said for Tiberius reigned not but in his person and vnder his will she harkeneth thereunto The fort which will admit of a parley is halfe rendred and relisheth it and the pleasure which she shewes in her attention differs not much from her consent Their wills which are agreed for loue are vnited for marriage and conspire to the same purpose to breake all obstacles Magnitudo facinoris metum prolationes diversa interdum consilia adfert Tac. Seianus by diuorcing of Apicata and Liuia by the death of Drusus But as great mischiefes cannot be soone hatched for feare doth breed an irresolution therein astonishment dela yand delay augments the difficulty thereof they were not so much troubled to resolue on the act as to finde the meanes and the manner The order and secrecy which ought to be exactly obserued in matters of importance were not forgotten in this abominable act They resolued to poyson him and considering that if the poyson were giuen in his meat some other might be ouertaken and deceiued they resolued therefore to giue it in a medicine which he should take and which should worke so slowly that his death should be imputed vnto nature and chance not vnto violence and treachery Eudemus amicus ac medicus Liviae specie artis