with running water About the same time the Fencers at Preneste offering to make an escape were hindered by a guarde of souldiers which watched them the people both fearful and desirous of nouelties now muttering whispering of Spartacus and calling to minde the hurts which happened in times past Not long after newes came of a great misfortune by sea not by warre for a more firme peace was seldome seeme but Nero had commaunded the nauie to returne by a certaine day to Campania not excepting the hazards of the sea The Pilots therefore although the sea were rough put from Formium and the Southweast winde blowing strongly whilest they stroue to winne the Promontorie of Misenum they dasht against the Cumanian shores and lost almost all the galleies and many other smaller vessels In the end of the yeere prodigious woonders were noised as messengers of imminent misfortunes Great and often flashes of lightnings and a blazing starre alwaies purged by Nero with the blood of noble men Monsters of men and beasts borne with two heads and cast into the streetes or found in the sacrifices when the custome is to slaie them when they be great with yoong And in the territorie of Placentia neere the way a calfe was brought forth with a head in the leg The Soothsaiers interpretation of it was that the Empire was to haue another head but neither strong nor hidden bicause stifeled in the panche and brought foorth by the way side XII A conspiracie against Nero by L. Pisoes friends AFter that Silius Nerua and Atticus Vestinus entered the Consulship a conspiracie was begun and growen strong against Nero vnto which Senators gentlemen souldiers and women gaue their names auie as well for the hatred they bare Nero as good will to L. Piso He was descended from the Calpurnians and of great nobilitie by the fathers side in high reputation with the people for his vertue or apparances like vnto vertue his eloquence he had imployed in defence of the citizens vsed liberalitie towards his friends and to strangers courtesie and affabilitie He had also the gifts of fortune was of a tall stature and comely countenance but grauitie in behauior he was farre from or moderation in pleasures He gaue himselfe to courtesie bountie and sometimes to dissolutenes which many allowed of thinking it not necessarie that in so great sweetnes of vices he who was destined to highest rule should be streight-laced or ouer seuere The beginning of the conspiracie proceeded not frō his own desire yet can I not easily tell who was the first author or at whose instigation that was begun which so many enterprised The forwardest to haue bin Subrius Flauius Tribune of the Pretorian cohort Sulpitius Asprus a Centurion the constancie of their end doth shew And Lucanus Annaeus and Plautius Lateranus Consull elect came with deadly hatred against him Peculiar causes enflamed Lucan because Nero suppressed the fame of his verses and had forbidden him to publish them vainely comparing his owne vnto them Lateranus Consull elect no iniurie but loue of the common wealth associated vnto them But Flauius Sceuinus and Afranius Quinctianus both Senators vndertooke the action contrary to the opinion which was had of them For Sceuinus bare a lasciuious mind and therfore led a lazie drowsie life Quinctianus infamous of his bodie and defamed by Nero by reprochfull verses sought to reuenge his iniurie Therefore discoursing among themselues or with their friends of the Princes wickednes that the Empire drew to an end and that choise was to be made of one to support the afflicted state associated vnto them Tullius Senecio Ceruarius Proculus Vulcatius Araricus Iulius Tugurinus Munatius Gratus Antonius Natalis Martius Festus gentlemen of Rome among which Senecio hauing been of Neroes inward familiaritie and then retaining a shadow of friendship was perplexed with the imagination of many dangers Natalis was a partaker of all Pisoes secrets The rest hoped after a change Besides Subrius and Sulpitius whom I haue spoken of for greater strength there were drawne in Granius Siluanus and Statius Proximus Tribunes of the Pretorian cohorts Maximus Scaurus and Venetus Paullus Centurions But for chiefest strength they relied on Fenius Rufus captaine of the gard who being for life and reputation worthie praise Tigellinus through his crueltie and vncleane life surpassed in credit and fauour with the Prince and charging him with many false accusations brought Caesar oft into a feare as if he had plaied the adulterer with Agrippina and therefore for loue of her carefully plotting a reuenge Therefore when the conspirators were fully assured by his owne often speeches that the captaine of the gard was one of their faction they were now more readie to consult of the time and place of the murder It is reported that Subrius Flauius had a sudden motion to set vpon Nero singing on the stage or running hither and thither in the night vngarded his house being on fire on the one side the opportunitie of finding him alone on the other the companie of people witnes of so worthy an exploit pricked forward his most valiant courage if the desire of escaping an enimie to all great attempts had not kept him back In the meane time betweene hope and feare lingering and deferring one Epicharis vnknowne by what meanes she came to the knowledge of the attempt and before that time carelesse of all that honest was began to incense blame the conspirators and in the end grieued with their slacknes being then in Campania went about to corrupt the chief of the nauie which lay then at Misenum and bind them to consent to the practise with this beginning There was in that nauie one Volusius Proculus a coronell of a thousand men and among others an instrument in murdering Neroes mother and as it was iudged not sufficiently rewarded according to the greatnes of the fact He acquainted of old or newly growne into friendship with this woman and shewing how much he had deserued of Nero and yet how his labour was lost complaining much and declaring a purpose of reuenge if meanes were offered put Epicharis in hope he might be induced to conspire and draw others with him to the same confederacie Neither was the help of the sea small but offered many occasions because Nero tooke great pleasure on the sea at Puteolum and Misenum Whereupon Epicharis added more and opened all the Emperours villanies and that the Senate * had prouided how he should be punished for ouerthrowing the common wealth that he would only prepare himselfe bestow all indeuour draw to his side the valiantest of the souldiers and assure himselfe of worthie recompense Neuertheles she concealed the names of the conspirators whereby Proculus betraying the matter tooke no effect although he had caried all he had heard to Nero. For Epicharis sent for and brought face to face before the appeacher supported by no witnesses easily confounded him Neuertheles she was kept in prison Nero suspecting that those things
his sisters sonne being very yoong to the pontificall dignitie and Aedilship and M. Agrippa meanly descended but in martiall exploites warlike and a companion in his victories to be twise Consul togither and after Marcellus death chose him to be his sonne in lawe And his owne house not failing he bestowed the title of Emperor vpon Tiberius Nero and Claudius Drusus his wiues children and adopted Caius and Lucius Agrippaes children and making shew to the contrarie yet his earnest desire was they should be called Princes of youth and chosen Consuls elect before they had cast off their praetext or infants garments But when Agrippa was dead and Lucius going into Spaine to take charge of the armie and Caius returning wounded out of Armenia by hastie fate or trecherie of their stepmother Liuia Drusus also dead long before onely Nero was left of all Augustus sonnes in lawe Vnto him all men now crowched and fawned being receiued the adopted sonne of Augustus copartner of the empire associate of the Tribunitian dignitie shewen to the campe as successor not as before by secret deuises and practises of his mother but openly perswading the Emperor thereto For she had so enthralled the sillie olde man that Agrippa Posthumus his onely nephew he had confined in the Iland Planasia in deede badly trained vp in liberall sciences and sottishly bragging of his strength and actiuitie of bodie but yet neuer detected of any notorious vice He gaue Germanicus sonne vnto Drusus charge ouer eight legions by the riuer of Rhene and commanded Tiberius albeit he had a sonne of his owne to adopt him the better to establish the succession with mo staies than one Wars there were none at that time but onely against the Germans not so much in regard of enlarging the empire hope of bootie or reward as to blot out the dishonor receiued when he lost his armie with Quinctilius Varo All was quiet in the citie the old names of the magistrates vnchanged the yoong men borne after the victorie at Actium and the greatest part of the old during the ciuill wars how many were there which had seene the ancient forme of gouernment of the free Common-wealth Thus then the state of the citie turned vpside downe there was no signe of the olde laudable customes to be seene but contrarie equalitie taken away euery man endeuored to obey the prince misdoubting nothing whilest Augustus yet strong in bodie was able to defend himselfe his house and peace But when he grew olde and feeble with sicknes and that the end of his gouernment and hope of a new was not far off some few but in vaine discourst of the commodities of libertie some feared war some desired it but the greatest part vsed lauish speeches and spred rumors against the next coniectured successor Agrippa they accounted by nature cruell and through the indignitie of his late disgrace easily kindled yoong and rawe in state matters vnable for so great a charge In deede Tiberius was of conuenient and ripe yeeres expert in feates of war but possest with the hereditarie pride of the Claudian familie yea manie apparent sparkles of crueltie did burst out in him howsoeuer he went about to suppresse them Besides he was brought vp in a house which knew how to raigne the Consulship was more than once cast vpon him with triumphes During the time that he was at Rhodes cloking his exile vnder colour of retiring himselfe he dreamte of nothing but reuenge dissimulation and secret meanes of licentious lusts withall he had his mother at hand vntolerable in all imperfections incident to the sexe and thereby they were to obey a woman and two yoong men which would in the meane space oppresse and in time rent in peeces the Common-wealth II. The death of Augustus and Tiberius Nero made Emperour WHilest they thus debated the matter Augustus maladie increased and as it was suspected by some through the lewde practise of his wife For not many months before a rumor was spread that Augustus with the priuitie of a few accompanied only with Fabius Maximus had conueyed himselfe to the Iland Planasia to visite his nephew Agrippa both weeping tenderly at their meeting with manifest tokens of loue and a hope conceiued that the yong man should be recalled and restored to his Grandfathers house Fabius disclosed this to Martia his wife and she to Liuia and C. Nauus to Caesar for not long after Fabius doubtfull whether by his owne procurement or not being deceased his wife Martia among other her lamentations at her husbands funerall was ouer-heard to accuse her selfe as the cause of her husbands death But howsoeuer the matter passed Tiberius had scarse put foote in Illyricum when by letters from his mother he was recalled in post haste not being well knowne when he arriued at Nola whether there were any breath yet left in Augustus or not For Liuia had beset the house with a watchfull and straight gard sometimes giuing out that Augustus was on the mending hand and so hauing made all sure on all hands as the time and occasion required the same rumor which not long before gaue ioyfull newes of Augustus amendment now published that he was dead and Nero in possession of the Empire The first exploit this new Prince did was the murdering of Posthumus Agrippa whom a Centurion resolute and appointed for the purpose and taking him vnarmed and misdoubting nothing yet could hardly dispatch Tiberius made no words of this to the Senate but pretended that it was done by his fathers appointment who as he said had giuen charge to the Centurion which had the garding of him to make him away incontinently after he had intelligence of his death Little doubt but Augustus complaining of the yong mans vntowardly behauior caused his exile to be confirmed by decree of the Senate but yet he neuer persisted long in desiring the death of any of his neither was it credible that to assure the estate to his wiues sonne he would seeke the bloud of his owne nephew But very likely it is that the yong mans death was hastened by Tiberius feare and Liuiaes hatred the one as iealous least he should bandie for the soueraigntie the other through the naturall hatred incident to all stepmothers When the Centurion brought him word as the manner of seruice was that he had fulfilled his commandement he answered presently that he commanded him no such matter and that he should answere it before the Senate When this newes came to Crispus Sallustius eares who being inward in greatest secrets with Tiberius had by letters giuen the Centurion order how to proceede fearing least his owne turne should be next dangerous to him alike to confesse the truth or to stand to a lye aduised Liuia that she should not in any wise diuulgate the secrets of her house the counsell of friends and seruices of souldyers and that Tiberius should beware of weakening the power of soueraigntie in referring all things to the Senate the
gods XVI An accusation against Granius Marcellus Orders against suing for dignities NOt long after Granius Marcellus Pretor of Bithynia was accused of treason by Caepio Crispinus his Quaestor Romanus Hispo subscribed thereto who entered into a course of life which the calamities of times and mens boldnes made famous For being needie obscure and a busie companion by secret information he so crept into the cruell humor of the Prince that he was able in short time to endanger the estate of the best in the citie thereby getting credit and authoritie with one and hatred of many He gaue an example which many following of beggers became rich of base and contemptible persons feared procuring destruction to others and in the end to themselues He accused Marcellus to haue vttered bad speeches against Tiberius which was an accusation ineuitable because that hauing chosen out the greatest blemishes of Tiberius life and manners because they were true were beleeued Hispo added that Marcellus image was placed higher then those of the Caesars and that the head of another of Augustus being cut off Tiberius image was put vpon it which so incensed him that breaking silence he cried out that he would himselfe and that sworne giue open sentence in that cause to the end the rest should be inforced to do as he had done for as yet there were some marks of dying libertie left in the Senate Then said C. Piso What place wilt thou take Caesar to deliuer thy censure If thou wilt speake first I shall haue a president to follow if last I feare I shall swarue from thee vncircumspectly Abashed with this the hotter vnaduisedly he had growne the more repenting he suffered the arraigned of treason to be quit As concerning the extorsions the cause was put ouer to the delegates And not contented with the iudgements of the Senators he assisted in the hearing of causes himselfe and sate in the end of the Tribunal least he should put the Pretor out of his chaire Many orders were giuen in his presence against canuasing for offices and noblemens suites but whilest he laboured for iustice libertie went to wracke Whilest these things were adoing Pius Aurelius a Senator complained that his house was decayed and growne to ruine by the raysing vp of a publick way and conueyance of water and craued aide of the Lords of the Senate in that behalfe And where the Treasurers opposed themselues against it he was relieued by Caesar who payed him the value of his house desirous to employ his money in honest actions which vertue he long retained after he had shaken off al others He bestowed ten hundred thousand sesterties vpō Propertius Celer once Pretor and now crauing licence to giue vp his roome by reason of the pouertie his father left him in and commanded others which made the same sute to make it knowen to the Senate that their petition was true desirons to be accounted seuere in things well done which caused others rather to indure their pouertie with silence then by acknowledging it receiue a benefit at his hands The same yeere through continuall raines the riuer Tibris rose so high that it couered all the flat places of the citie and in falling there insued a great ruine of men and buildings Whereupon a remedie being consulted of in Senate Asinius Gallus was of opinion that the bookes of the Sybils should be searched which Tiberius hindered as one who would hide from them as well things diuine as humane But he committed that charge vnto Ateius Capito and L. Arruntius Achaia and Macedonia complaining of their heauie taxations it was agreed in Senate that they should no longer be gouerned by a proconsull but by Caesar Drusus being made ouerseer of a play of fencers set foorth in his owne and his brother Germanicus name because he seemed to take ouer great pleasure in shedding of blood stroake a feare into the peoples minds and as it is reported was disliked of his father Why Tiberius forbare to see this spectacle it was diuersly construed some thought because he loathed to be in great assemblies some because he was of a melancholy sad disposition and also misdoubting least some should fall into comparison betwixt him and Augustus who was woont to be present at such plaies with courteous and milde cariage I cannot thinke that his meaning was to giue his sonne occasion to shew his crueltie and mooue the people to offence although some haue so reported The licentiousnes begun in the Theator the last yeere grew now to a farther outrage many not onely of the common people slaine but soldiers and Centurions and a Captaine of the guarde whilest they went about to bridle the insolencie of the people and hinder them from vsing lauishing speeches against magistrates That sedition was debated in Senate many being of opinion that it it was conuenient that the Pretor should haue authoritie to whip the stage-plaiers But Haterius Agrippa Tribune of the people contradicted him whom Asinius Gallus rebuked in an oration Tiberius holding his peace suffering the Senate to vse that shadow of libertie Yet Haterius preuailed bicause Augustus had once declared the stage-plaiers to be free from stripes and therefore not lawfull for Tiberius to infringe it Many orders were layd downe touching the moderation and charges bestowed vpon plaies and against the insolent behauiour of their fauourers wherof the chiefest are these That no Senator should enter into a plaiers house that the gentlemen of Rome should not accompanie them in publike places that it was not lawfull to see their plaies but on the Theater And that the Pretor should haue authoritie to banish such lookers on as behaued themselues disorderly The Spaniards had licence graunted them at their request to erect a Temple in honour of Augustus in the free towne of Tarracon which was a president for all the other prouinces to follow The people making supplication that they might be vnburdened of the imposition of one in the hundred of all things bought and sold which began after the wars were begun Tiberius answered by an edict that it was the onely stay of souldiers wages and that the state would be ouercharged if the olde soldiers should not be dismissed after twentie yeeres seruice and by this meanes the order wrunge out to appease the soldiers that the soldiers shoulde be dismissed after sixteene yeeres seruice was abrogated After this it was propounded in Senate by Arruntius and Ateius whether for the repressing of the inundations of Tiber it were conuenient to diuert the course of the riuers and lakes which were cause of his rising Vpon this occasion the ambassadors of other free townes and colonies were heard and especially the deputies from the citie of Florence requesting that Clanis might not be turned out of his owne chanell into Arne as a matter greatly to their hurt The like speech the Interamnates vsed shewing that the fertilest tract of Italie should be lost if as it was intended the riuer Nar
if he had once set them abroch that his bad speeches were ioyned with cruell deeds The same time Iulia died whom Augustus hauing conuicted of adulterie had exiled into the Iland Trimerus not farre from the Apulian shores where she indured twentie yeers exile sustained by Augusta whose maner was by secret practises to subuert her sonnes in lawe when they were in prosperitie and openly shew them pitie when they were in miserie XVI The Frisians rebellagainst the Romans Agrippina Germanicus daughter is married to C. Domitius THe same yeere the Frisians beyond Rhene forsooke their obedience rather through our couetousnes then impatiencie of liuing vnder our subiection Drusus in regard of their small abilitie had imposed a small tribute on them which was a certaine of oxe hides for the war no man respecting what strength or largenes they were of vntill Olennius a Captaine of a principall ensigne and gouernor of the Frisians made choise of the skins of the beast called Vrus of that hignes As that had beene a heauie burden for other nations so the Germains could least of all others endure it whose woods although full of huge sauage beasts yet at their houses haue but small heards first therefore they deliuered these oxen then their possessions and lastly the bodies of their wiues and children into bondage From hence grew their griefe and complaints and seeing that no man relieued them they sought a redresse by warre laid hands on such souldiers as receiued the tribute and hanged them vp Olennius escaped the furie of the enimie by flying to a Castle called Fleuus strengthened with no smal power of citizens and consederats which held the coastes of the Ocean in subiection Which when L. Apronius Propretor of lowe Germanie vnderstood he sent for the chiefest ensignes of the legions of higher Germanie aides as wel of the horsmē as footmē broght both the armies ouer Rheine into the Frisian land the rebels forsaking the siege of the Castle to defend their owne Then Apronius maketh causeies and bankes and strong bridges ouer the next arme of the sea for the huge armie to passe ouer And in the meane time hauing found som foords commādeth the wing of the Caninefates such footmen as serued vnder vs to hem in the enemie behind Who raunged into battle aray to fight droue back the confederates legionarie horsmen sent as an aide After that were sent three cohorts lightly armed then two more a little after a strong companie of horsmen Strength sufficient if they had charged couragiously togither but comming some after some dropping in by companies they neither gaue courage to the fearfull but carried away themselues with like feare ran all away for company The residue of the aides he committed vnto Cethegus Labeo Lieutenant of the fift legion who perceiuing things to go doubtfull on his side sent to demaund more aide of the legions The fift legion couragiously issuing first out with a hot skirmish put the enimie to flight receiued into them the wounded and wearied cohorts The Roman Captaine sought neither to reuenge nor burie the dead bodies although there had been slaine manie Tribunes Prefects and diuers Centurions of marke fame It was after knowen by the fugitiues that the fight held on vntil the next day and that there were nine hundred Romans slaine in a wood called Baduhenna and that another power of 400. which had taken the village of Cruptorix which sometime had receiued pay of the Romains fearing treason slewe one another This got the Frisians great renowme among the Germains Tiberius dissembling his losses least hee should commit the charge to some other and the Senate beeing possessed with domesticall feare regarded not much whether the remote part of the Empire went dishonorably to wracke or not but stroken as I haue sayde into a feare sought a remedie by flatterie And albeit they had propounded many matters to deliberate on yet they decreed that all layde aside there should be two altars erected one vnto Clemencie and another vnto Friendship and that Caesars and Seianus images should be set about them and intreated most earnestly they would vouchsafe them so much fauour as that they might see him Neuerthelesse they went neither to Rome nor any place there about but thought it sufficient if they went out of the Iland and be seene in Campania next adioyning vnto it Thither resorted the Lords of the Senate Gentlemen and many of the common people heauie for Seianus vnto whom accesse was hardliest obtained and that with great crouching by approouing and participating his deseignments It well appeared his arrogancie grew greater seeing he blushed not to see such open base and filthie seruilitie vsed For at Rome it was a vsuall matter for men to walke the streetes and by reason the citie is great no man knew anothers busines but there some lying night and day in the field some on the sea shore without any difference endured either the pride of the porters or had fauour as pleased them vntill that that was also denied them Then they returned to the citie with discontented feare and Caesar not hauing vouchsafed either to looke or speake vnto them and some whose vnfortunate friendship with Seianus portended their imminent death were glad in an ill time Tiberius hauing publickly giuen his neece Agrippina Germanicus daughter vnto Gn. Domitius commaunded that the marriage should be solemnised in the citie He made choise of Domitius as well for the antiquitie of his stocke as neerenesse in bloud to the Caesars for Octauia was his grandmother and by her Augustus his vncle THE FIFT BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS I. The death of Iulia. Tiberius crueltie increaseth His practises to make away Nero and Agrippina WHen Rubellius and Fusius both of them surnamed Geminus were Consuls Iulia Augusta died being very aged and of the noble familie of the Claudians and besides into the house of the Liuians and Iulians adopted She was first married vnto Tiberius Nero and had children by him who being driuen out of his countrey in the warre of Perusium and a peace after confirmed betwixt Sext. Pompeius the Triumuiri returned to the citie againe After that Augustus rauished with her beautie whether against her will or not it is vncertaine tooke her from her husband shewing himselfe so lustfull of her that not giuing her time to be deliuered of her first husbands childe brought her great as she was to his owne house After that she had no issue but being vnited to Augustus bloud by the mariage of Germanicus and Agrippina they had nephewes children common to them both Her behauior was according to the carriage of auncient times yet more courteous then women of former ages could well allow an vntollerable mother a tractable wife with the subtletie of her husband and dissimulation of her soone well medled and composed Her funerals were not sumptuous her testament long voide She was praised in a funerall oration before
freedome giuen to such as deserued it not for many there were of that opinion But the Consuls not daring to determine the matter without the priuitie of the Prince yet wrote the common consent vnto him And that he should be the author of the decree few being of a contrary opinion and some grudging that the irreuerence of their late bondmen by reason of libertie was growen to that that they cared not whether they carried themselues towards their patrons dutifully or not nothing at all waying what they sayd vnto them yea bende their fists towards them thrust and elbow such as would haue any lawe made to bridle them For what other redresse was there graunted vnto patrons offended but to banish his freed man aboue twentie miles off to the coast of Campania all other actions were indifferent and equall to both Some weapon therefore should be giuen the patron which the freed man should not despise Neither could it seeme hard if the manumised should with the same obedience keepe their liberty by which they got it And such as were openly conuicted of crimes were woorthily brought againe to seruitude that such might be brideled by feare whom benefits could not change Some spake to the contrarie saying That that fault of a fewe should be preiudiciall but to themselues and not derogate from the priuiledges common to them all bicause it was a bodie farre spred abroad From them were taken many Tribes and Decuries fit men for magistrates priests and citie cohorts and many gentlemen and Senators could deriue no beginning but from thence If the freed men should be seuered from the rest the number of the free borne woulde appeere very small Not without cause our auncestors when they diuided the citizens into degrees and callings left libertie in common Yea they had instituted two kindes of manumising their bondmen bicause it might be in their choise to repent or yeelde newe fauour Those whome the patron did not manumise Vindicta before the magistrate remained still as it were in the bonds of seruitude That euerie man should looke into the merits of his slaue and graunt that slowly which being once giuen coulde not be taken away This opinion caried it away And Caesar wrote to the Senate that they should priuately examine the cause of the freed men as oft as they were accused by their patrons and derogate nothing from the whole bodie of them Not long after Paris the late bondman was taken from Domitia Neroes aunte vnder colour of ciuill lawe not without a disgrace to the Prince by whose commandement iudgement of free condition was giuen him Neuerthelesse there remained a certaine shew of a free common-wealth For a contention being growen betweene Vibullius the Pretor and Antistius tribune of the people for releasing out of prison certaine vnruly fauourers of the Stage-plaiers committed by the Pretor the Lords of the Senate approoued the Pretors fact and blamed Antistius boldnesse Withall the Tribunes were forbidden to vsurpe any thing belonging to the Pretors or Consuls authoritie or call such before them out of Italie whose right was to be determined by law L. Piso Consull elect added further that they should not exercise their authoritie in punishing of any in their own houses that the Quaestors of the treasury should not enter into record before foure months were past the mercements adiudged by them and that in the mean time it might be lawfull to speake against them and the Consuls determine the matter The authoritie of the Aediles is also restrained and order set down how much the Curules and the people might take to pawne and how farre they might punish Thereupon Heluidius Priscus Tribune of the people shewed his priuate grudge against Obultronius Sabinus Quaestor of the treasury as though he had too seuerely enforced the execution of open sales of goods against the poore Then the Prince transferred the records of publicke debts from the Quaestors to the Prouosts of the citie albeit the forme of that office hath beene diuersly vsed and often chaunged For Augustus gaue the Senate licence to choose the Prouostes then canuasing of voices being suspected they were drawne by lot out of the number of the Pretors Neither did that long continue because the lot fell oft vpon the vnmeetest Then Claudius restored againe the Quaestors to the office and bestowed extraordinarie promotion vpon them least for feare of offence they should be slacke in their dutie But bicause there wanted authoritie of age in manie which were in that office as being the first they were possessed of Nero chose such as had beene Prouostes and tried by long experience Vipsanius Lenas was condemned vnder the same Consuls for behauing himselfe too rauenously in the Prouince of Sardinia Cestius Proculus was acquited of extorsion his accusers letting fall the sute Clodius Quirinalis Captaine of the galli-slaues at Rauenna accused for molesting Italie with riot and crueltie as the least of all nations preuented his condemnation by poisoning himselfe Aminius Rebius a principall man for the skill of the lawes and of great wealth escaped the griefes of sickely olde age by letting himselfe blood in the vaines although he was thought to be too cowardly to kill himself by reason he was giuen too effeminately to lustes But L. Volusius died with great fame hauing liued ninetie three yeeres verie rich by good meanes and neuer once hurt by any of those vniust Emperors vnder whom he liued VII What Annales ought to intreate of plaies forbidden NEro being the second time Consull and L. Piso few things happened worthy of memorie vnlesse some would thinke it well done to fill vp volumes in praising the foundations and timber imployed by Caesar in the huge building of the Amphitheater in Campus Martius seeing it is meet for the dignitie and honor of the people of Rome to commit famous actes to their annales and such as those to the diurnall of the citie Capua and Nuceria both colonies were reenforced with a supplie of old souldiers There was bestowed a gift of fortie sesterces by powle to the people and foure hundred thousand sesterces to the publike treasurie to maintain the people faithful vnto him The tribute of the fift of the twentieth for the sale of slaues was released in shew rather then in deed for when the seller was commaunded to pay it he enhansed the price still to the buiers losse Caesar commaunded by an edict that no magistrate procurator of any prouince should set foorth a shew of fencers or wilde beasts or any other pastime For heretofore the subiects were no lesse endomaged by such-liberalities then by taking their money from them whilest they cloaked with fauor gotten by such spectacles their faults committed by robbing the people A decree of Senate was made as well for reuenge as securitie that if any man had been slaine by his bondmen those also who being manumised by testament continued in the same house should be punished as the other
were not false which were not prooued true Yet the conspirators for feare of being betraied thought it conuenient to change the place of the murder and execute it at Baias in a house of Pisoes whither Caesar came oft as delighted with the pleasantnes of it and there vsed to bathe and to banket without any gard carelesse of the greatnes of his estate But Piso refused pretending it would breede him enuie if the solemnities of his table and gods of hospitalitie should be distained with the murder of any Prince whatsoeuer Therefore that it might be better performed in the citie in that hatefull house built with the spoiles of the citizens or in publick place seeing it is vndertaken for the publick weale Thus they debated the matter in common but yet with secret feare least L. Silanus a man of great nobilitie and by C. Cassius discipline vnder whome he was brought vp to all renowne should lay hold on the Empire all which were free from the conspiracie ioining to help him and such also as would pitie Nero as slaine by treacherie Some beleeued that Piso would not meddle with Vestinus the Consuls fierce courage least he should attempt the bringing in of libertie or if another Emperour should be chosen ascribe the bestowing of the state to himselfe for he was not priuie to the conspiracie although Nero to satiate his inueterate hatred layd it to his charge though guiltles At last they resolued to accomplish their deseignments on that day that the Circensian plaies were represented in honor of Ceres because Caesar shewing himselfe then little abroad or shut vp in his house or gardens came to the plaies at the Cirque and therefore might easilier be come vnto because he tooke delight in the pastime XIII The order of the conspiracie How it was discouered Epicharis constancie and cowardlines of some of the conspirators THey concluded the order of their conspiracie to be that Lateranus vnder colour of making request for some aide of maintenance of his estate should fall at the Princes knees and being of a stout courage and great stature ouerthrow him vnawares and keepe him downe Then as he lay along and hindered from rising that the Tribunes and Centurions according to each mans boldnes should run in and murder him Sceuinus requesting to be first who had taken a rapier out of the Temple of Health in Etruria or as others report of Fortune in Ferentanum and carried it about him as some sacred thing to do some notable act Piso in the meane time should stay in Ceres Temple from whence the Captaine Fenius and the rest should carrie him to the campe and Antonia Claudius Caesars daughter followed him to winne the peoples fauour as C. Plinius doth report Our meaning was not to conceale this howsoeuer it hath beene left vs although it should seeme absurd and friuolous vnlesse the desire of dominion surpasse all other passions and affections that Antonia should lend her name or endanger herselfe for him or that Piso the loue towards his wife so well knowen should binde himselfe in marriage to any other whatsoeuer But it was strange how all was kept close among so many of diuers callings degrees ages sexes rich and poore vntill the detection beganne in Sceuinus house who the day before the feate should be effected long conferring with Antonius Natalis then returning home sealed his testament hauing drawen the rapier of which I haue spoken out of the scabberd and angrie that it was dull with long keeping commaunded it to be sharpened at the point and scoured giuing the charge of that care to his freed man Milichus Withall he made a more sumptuous banket than his custome was and made some of his bondmen he best liked free and vnto others gaue money And he himselfe was sad and easily seene his head was fraighted with great imaginations although he dissembled mirth with impertinent talke In the ende warned the same Milichus to prepare rowles to binde vp wounds and things necessarie to stanch blood either as one knowing the conspiracie and vntill then trustie or ignorant of it and then first tooke hold of suspitions as some haue thought by the consequents For when this seruile minde waighed with himselfe the rewards of his falshood and represented to his owne imagination huge summes of money and great authority honestie gaue place and his masters safetie and the memorie of his receiued libertie He tooke also the counsell of his wife a womans counsell in deed and the woorser which droue him into a further feare affirming that manie freed men and slaues were by which sawe as much as he the silence of one auailed nothing but ones should be the recōpence if he preuented the rest in detecting it Whereupon as soone as it was daie Milichus goeth to the Seruilian gardens and being driuen from the doores sayed he brought heinous and great matters to discouer and thereupon lead by the porters to Epaphroditus Neroes freed man and anon from him to Nero declareth that there was imminent and dangerous strong conspiracies at hand and all the rest which he had either heard or coniectured He sheweth also the weapon prepared to kill him and commaunded the partie accused to be sent for who drawen by the souldiers and beginning his purgation answered That for the rapier he was accused of his father in times past made great reckoning of it therefore he had it in his chamber and that it was stolne away by the fraude of his freed man That his testament had beene often sealed by him not keeping the daies when in memorie Money liberties he had hereto fore giuen to his slaues but then more bountifully bicause his estate was decayed and his creditors being eager on him he distrusted his testament Indeed he was alwaies wont to make liberall bankets and lead a pleasant life not well liked of seuere and hard iudges He commaunded no medicaments for wounds but bicause the rest of his accusations were plainely vaine he thought good to adde this crime and make himselfe accuser and witnes He confirmed his speech with constancie and rebuked Milichus as one not to be admitted to beare witnes being a lewde and naughtie person and that with such a resolution in words and countenance that the accusation had come to nothing if his wife had not put him in minde that Antonius Natalis had had much secret conference with Sceuinus both of them being most inward familiars of Piso Natalis therefore was sent for and both of them seuerally examined what their speech was and touching what matter Then grewe a suspition bicause their answers agreed not And being put into irons they were not able to endure the sight and threatnings of the torture Yet Natalis as better acquainted with the whole conspiracie and withall skilfuller in accusing first confesseth of Piso then added Annaus Seneca either bicause he was a messenger betweene him and Piso or bicause he would purchase Neroes fauour who bearing deadly
affirmed he found no signes of feare in him nor token of sadnes in words or countenance and thereupon he was cōmanded to go back giue him warning he should die Fabius Rusticus doth report that he returned not the same way he came but turned aside to Fenius the captaine and hauing imparted vnto him Caesars commandement asked him whether he should obey it or not who aduised him to do his commandement which was a cowardlines fatall vnto them all for Siluanus was one of the conspirators and was now a furtherer of the crueltie to whose reuenge he had before consented yet he spared both his toong and presence and sent to Seneca one of the Centurions to denounce him the last necessitie He nothing amazed called for his testament and the Centurion denying it turned to his friends and said That seeing he was not suffered to requite their merites he protested he left them yet one thing which of all other he held most precious which was the patterne of his life of which if they were mindfull they should carry away the fame of good learning and of so constant friendship Withall hindereth their teares now with speech now more earnestly as it were rebuking them and calling them back to constancie Asking where were the precepts of wisedome where the resolution so many yeares premeditated against imminent dangers vnto whome was Neroes crueltie vnknowne neither did there remaine any thing to be done after he had murdered his mother and his brother but that he should adde the death of his bringer vp and maister When he had discoursed this or the like as it were in generall he imbraced his wife and hauing somwhat confirmed her against present feare prayeth intreateth her to temper her griefe lament no longer but in the contemplation of her former life spent in vertue beare the lack of her husband with honest comforts She on the contrary side assured him that she was resolued to dye and demaundeth the hand of the executioner Then Seneca loth to hinder her glory and deerely louing her least he should leaue her whome so tenderly he affectioned to the iniuries of others sayd I had taught the comforts of life but thou haddest rather the glory of death I will not enuie thy example let there be of this so short a death an equall constancie in both but thy renowme will be farre greater After which words they both cut the vaines of their armes at one time Seneca because his old bodie and leane with a slender diet gaue the bloud slow passage cut also the vaines of his legs and hams and being wearied with cruell torments least he should discourage his wife with his griefe and himselfe descend to impatiencie by seeing the torment she indured perswadeth her to go into another chamber And in the very last moment his eloquence not failing him calling some to dictat his speech deliuered many things which published in his owne words I purpose not to alter or change with other termes But Nero hauing no peculiar hatred against Paullina least the odiousnes of his crueltie should grow greater commaundeth her death to be hindered Whereupon her bonde and freede men at the souldiers commaundement bound her armes and stopt the bloud But whether she knew it or not is vncertaine for the common people being alwaies readie to speake the worst there wanted not some which beleeued that as long as she feared Nero to be implacable she sought to haue the glory of accompanying her husbands death then a milder hope offered that she was ouercome with the sweetenes of life vnto which she added a few yeeres after with a lawdable memorie towards her husband but her face and other parts of her bodie were growne so pale and wan that it easily appeared her vitall spirits were much diminished Seneca the meane time perceiuing himselfe to linger and pine away with a long death intreateth Statius Annaeus his knowne friend and expert Phisition to giue him of that poison with which the condemned by publick iudgement at Athens are put to death whereof long before he had made prouision which being brought him he dranke in vaine the parts of his bodie alreadie cold the conduits stopped against the force of poison In the end he went into a bath of hot water and sprinkling his slaues next about him saying That he offered vp that liquor to Iupiter the deliuerer Then put into the bath and with the vapour of it hauing yeelded vp the ghost was burnt without any funerall solemnitie as he had commaunded in his last will when very rich and in authoritie he disposed of his minde The report was that Subrius Flauius with the Centurions in secret counsell yet not without Senecaes priuitie had determined that after Nero should haue been slaine by the help of Piso Piso should also haue been slaine and the Empire deliuered Seneca as one iust and vpright chosen to that high authoritie only for the excellencies of his vertues yea and Flauius owne words were published to be these It skilleth not for the shame of the matter if a minstrell be remoued and an actor in a tragedie succeede him for as Nero had sung with the instrument so Piso in tragicall attire XV. Many souldiers punished Fenius death Flauius Subrius and Sulpitius Afers answere to Nero. THe conspiracie of the souldiers could be no longer kept close the detecters being very eager to bewray Fenius Rufus whom they could not indure should both be of counsell to the plot and an examiner of others Therefore vrging and threatning * Sceuinus shewing himselfe obstinate told him that no man knew more then himselfe and exhorted him that he would shew himselfe willing to requite so good a Prince Fenius could neither answere this nor hold his toong but entangling himselfe in his owne words shewed a manifest feare and the rest but especially Ceruarius Proculus a gentleman laboring all they could to conuict him by commandement of the Emperour Cassius a souldier which stoode by and was of exceeding strength of bodie laid hold on him and bound him Not long after by their appeaching Subrius Flauius Tribune was ouerthrowne first alleaging the dissimilitude of his maners and life for his defence and that he being a man of armes would neuer in so dangerous an enterprise associate himselfe with vnarmed effeminate persons after that farther prest imbracing the glory of confession and demaunded of Nero for what reasons he had proceeded so farre as to forget his oath I hated thee quoth he neither was there any of the souldiers more faithfull vnto thee then I whilest thou deseruedst to be loued I began to hate thee after thou becamest a parricide of thy mother and wife a wagoner a stage-player and a setter of houses a fire I haue reported his very words because they were not published as Senecaes were neither was it lesse conuenient to know the vnpolished but waightie words of this souldier It is certaine there hapned nothing in all that
banished because he made shew of his wit though not with any diffamatorie verses VII Soranus daughters oration in Senate and his death IN the meane season Ostorius Sabinus Soranus accuser commeth in and beginneth with his friendship had with Rubellius Plautus and that being Proconsull of Asia he caried himselfe rather as fitting his own nobilitie than the cōmon good by entertayning and nourishiug sedition among the citizens These were stale matters but as if they were fresh he ioined the daughter to the fathers alleaging that she had bestowed money vpon Magicians So it was indeede through the loue and affection Seruilia so was she called bare her father and vndiscretion of age yet she consulted of nothing but of the safetie of their house or whether Neroes wrath would be pacified or the Senators hearing of the cause would be to the preiudice of her father She was called into the Senate and stoode one from the other before the Consuls tribunal the father very aged the daughter vnder twentie yeeres a widow and desolate her husband Annius Pollio of late banished and not so much as looking towards her father whose dangers she imagined she had increased Then the accuser asking her whether she had sould her dowrie ornaments and taken her iewell from her neck to get money to practise magicall superstitions first prostrating her selfe on the ground with a long silence and weeping then imbracing the altars said I haue not called vpon any wicked gods I haue made no diuelish inuocatiōs nor any thing else by my vnhappie praiers then that this my very good father thou ô Caesar you Lords of the Senat would saue aliue So I haue giuen my iewels and apparell and ornaments of my dignitie euen as I would haue done my bloud and life if they had demaunded it Let these men heretofore vnto me vnknowen looke what names they carry what artes they practise I made no mention of the Prince vnlesse it were among the gods Yet my most vnfortunate father knoweth it not if it be an offence I alone haue offended Soranus tooke the words out of her mouth as she was yet speaking and cried that she went not with him into the prouince for her age Plautus could not know her she was not confederate with her husbands crimes she was guiltie only of ouer-great and tender loue and therefore whatsoeuer should sort to his lot he besought them that they would separate his cause from hers withall hastned to cast himselfe in the armes of his daughter which came to meete him if the serieants putting themselues between them had not hindered both By and by the witnesses were heard and how much pitie the crueltie of the accuser had moued so much anger P. Egnatius the witnes sturred This man being a client of Soranus and then hired to oppresse his friende pretended grauitie of the Stoicall sect in demeanor and countenance to represent the patterne of honest exercises but in minde was traiterous and deceiptfull couering auarice and a lewd minde which being discouered and made knowne by money hath taught vs to beware of such as vnder colour of liberall sciences are false in friendship no lesse then of those which are notoriously noted for vice and treacherous dealing The same day was shewed a notable example by Cassius Asclepiodotus who for wealth being the chiefest among the Bithynians vsed the same tokens of kindnes towards Soranus in his aduersitie as before he had done in time of prosperitie for which cause being depriued of all his goods and cast into banishmēt by the iustice of the gods * which lay before vs a precident as well of good as of bad Thrasea Soranus Seruilia had their choise giuen them what death they would haue Heluidius and Paconius were banished Italie Montanus was granted to his father with conditiō that he should beare no charge in the common wealth To the accusers Eprius Cossutianus to each were giuen 5. millions of sesterces to Ostorius 12. hundred thousand the ornamēts of a questor Then toward the euening the Cōsuls Questor was sent to Thrasea being then in his gardēs visited with a great companie of noblemen and women very attentiuely hearing the doctor Demetrius one of the Cynicall sect of whom as it was to be coniectured by his countenance and heard if they speake any thing lowd he demaunded sundrie questions of the nature of the soule and of the separation of the spirit from the bodie vntill Domitius Cacilianus one of his familiarest friends came and declared what the Lords of the Senat had decreed Those which were present bewailing and moning Thrasea with all speede were exhorted to depart least their lot should be to partake the dangers of a condemned person perswadeth his wife Arria who would haue died with him to follow the example of her mother Arria to keepe her selfe aliue and not bereaue their daughter of them both of her only stay and support From thence he went to his gallery where the Questor found him rather cheerefull then sad because he had vnderstood that Heluidius his sonne in lawe was only banished Italie Then hauing receiued the order of the Senate he brought Heluidius and Demetrius into a chamber and stretching out the vaines of both his armes after he saw the bloud gush out sprinkling it on the ground and calling the Questor neerer said Let vs sacrifice to Iupiter the deliuerer Behold yong man yet the gods preserue thee from the like lucke neuerthelesse thou art borne in those times in which it is expedient to strengthen thy minde with constant examples then the slow going out of the bloud causing grieuous torments turning to Demetrius * The rest of the Latin is lost FINIS THE DESCRIPTION OF GERMANIE AND CVSTOMES OF THE PEOPLE BY CORNELIVS TACITVS ALL Germanie is diuided from the Galli the Rhaetians and Pannonians with two riuers Rhene and Danubius from the Sarmatians and Dacians by mutuall feare of one the other or high hils The rest the Ocean doth enuiron compassing broad and wide gulphes and large and spatious Ilands the people and Kings of which hath beene of late discouered by warre The riuer of Rhene hauing his beginning on the top of the inaccessible steep Rhaetian Alpes and winding somewhat towardes the West falleth into the North Ocean Danubius springing from the top of the hill Abnoba not so steepe passing by manie nations falleth by sixe channels into the Ponticke sea the seuenth is lost in the marishes I may thinke that the Germans are home-bred and the naturall people of their countrey and not mixed with others comming from other places bicause such as in times past sought new habitations came by sea and not by land and that huge and spatious Ocean and as I may terme it different from the other is seldome trauelled by our men For besides the daunger of the rough and vnknowen sea who vnlesse it were his natiue soile would leaue Asia or Affricke or Italie and plant