refourme the storie of the liues of tenne Romaine princes worthie moste surely to be knowen and verie pleasant to be read The purpose wherefore moste mightie Prince I haue taken so exceeding trauaile to compounde this worke is vnto the ende my penne may aduertise wherein my tongue with shame dismaieth to speake for as Bias the philosopher saide The authoritie of princes is so greate that of more thinges they haue to giue them to vnderstand then to dare or presume to speake The king Artaxerxes trauailing on a certeine daye a man of the countrie presented him with a little water in the palme of his hand the which water the king receiued and dranke and when some did murmur of that deede and also detract him the king made aunswere It is no lesse noblenesse vnto the Prince to receiue little then to giue greate and bountifull rewardes The philosopher Lycurgus that was lawe giuer vnto the Lacedaemonians commaunded those of his common wealthe that they shoulde offer vnto their Gods fewe thinges in number and not riche of value whereof when he was noted and also accused made aunswere I commaund not to offer vnto the Gods fewe thinges for that I thinke them not to deserue muche but because all men should haue wherewith to offer since of all men they will be serued for in the time of Apollo they saide vnto mee that they had rather haue little of manie then much of fewe In the lawe whiche God gaue vnto the Hebrues he was so limitted in the thinges he demaunded and so humaine in that he commaunded that in the order of the sacrifices which they should offer he did ordeine and coÌ„maund that the poore man whiche could not offer a goate should offer no more but of the hayre therof In considering that Lycurgus offered vnto his Gods iewels of small price and that king Artaxerxes receiued of a poore man an handfull of water and that vnto the true and liuing God they durst offer no more but of the hayres of a Goate giueth mee hardinesse to present this work vnto your Maiestie ⸫ The life of the good Emperour Traiane Coceius naturally a Spaniard borne in the citie of Calize compiled by syr Anthonie of Gueuara Byshoppe of Mondonnedo preacher chronicler and counsellour vnto the Emperour Charles the fifth CHAP. I. Of foure renoumed Cities that perished and were subuerted in Spaine BEfore they had Emperours in Rome either warre was raised in Carthage ther were in foure prouinces in Spaine foure right notable cities which in potencie did matche with Rome in riches with Tyrus in beautie with Helia in opulencie with Tarento The firste was Numantia the seconde Cantabria the thirde Ystobriga the fourth Italica Strabo Isodore and Pomponio Mela giue great admiration vnto the readers of the great power richesse and wealth of these foure cities And on the other part it is great pitie to consider that there is nothing of them remayning to beholde Not without cause it is saide that nothing remaineth in them to be séene because notwithstanding the prouince boundes and climate is knowen of the foundation thereof yet we may hardly attaine to name the verie place where it was buâ—lt Vnto the citie of Numantia Soria succéeded vnto the citie of Cantabria succéeded Tudela of Nauarre vnto the citie of Ystobriga succéeded Merida vnto the citie of Italica succéeded Ciuil The situation of the famous Numantia as some men affirme was vpon a certeine hill neare vnto Soria on the other side of the bridge and as others doe thinke her foundation stoode in Garray a village of Soria ioyning vnto Duero The situation of Cantabria was a league from the citie of the Groine and on that side of Ebro vpon a certeine height where nowe are planted many vines The seate of Ystobriga was where nowe the ventes of Caparra being bayting places stand and others say yt was on the hill that standeth betwixt the two riuers Las varcas de Alconeta yel casare de carceres The situation of Italica was ioyning vnto the citie of Ciuil and some saye it was vpon the way to Carmona and that the arches of Carmona were made to furnishe the citie of Italica O secrete iudgementes of the moste high or humaine instabilitie that all these places being viewed personally of my selfe where these so excellent cities were buylt I found not so muche as a tower a wall a stréete or a house to beholde neither so much as a stone almost to stumble at We haue great reason to exclaime and much more hath the discréete reader to wonder since we vnderstand that fourtéene yeres Numantia resisted the power of the Romaines and now we sée it made a pasture for shéepe We vnderstande that Cantabria was the last thing whiche the Romaines did subdue in Spaine and nowe there remaineth but a patche of vineyardes in the same We certeinly knowe that the greatest strength which king Viriato held in Spaine was Ystobriga and nowe there remaineth not but certeine grâ—ene trées shrubbes They which write of the citie of Italica do saye that it was the most strong and the most estéemed of all the kingdome of Vandalia and nowe they gather both wheat and barley in the same Scipio the Africane destroyed the citie of Numantia because in the first Punicke battels they would not helpe the Romaines Gracchus a Romaine captaine subuerted the citie of Ystobriga because from thence Viriato made him warre Pompeius hoste destroyed the citie of Italica for that in the parcialitie of Iulius Caesar they were most faithfull The Emperour Augustus ouerthrewe the citie of Cantabria as a man more moued with yre then directed by reason The case was thus that as he had the citie besieged and brought in great distresse he sent to require of the citizens to yelde him all their treasure and giue vnto Rome perpetuall tribute The Cantabrians considering what the Emperour demaunded aunswered in a letter after this manner Emperour Augustus we pray the immortall Gods to receiue thee into their defence and that it may please them to examine betwixt thee and vs who in this warre hath more iustice and thou knowest O immortall Prince that men although they haue power to take warre in hande it is not in their handes but in the Gods to obteine victorie because we men begin many thinges with malice the which afterwardes the Gods do finish by iustice with thy exceeding potencie it may not be denied but that thou hast brought this sorrowfull citie into great distresse in such wise that we haue neither bread to eate either water to drinke either skinnes to make garments or corke to make shooes neither towers to couer vs but ioyntly with this thou hast to vnderstande that if wee want armour wherwith to fight wee lacke not heartes to abide death It wel appeareth that thou hast made experience of our weake forces and vnderstandest not the greatnesse of our mindes since thou demaundest the treasure of our houses and the libertie of our persons
offer On the daye of his triumph the sonne of king Decebal was placed in the arche with Traiane for that he was a verie childe whome afterwardes he did intreate not as a prisoner but as his owne proper sonne In the conquest of the Datians and in visiting the Germaines Traiane was deteyned willingly two yeares and at his returne vnto Rome he found not the common wealth in such order as he left the same and thereof is no marueile for Princes making warre with their enimies presently the citizens make peace with vices That day in which Traiane entred triumphing into Rome he that by chaunce was moste noted in those playes and pageantes and of whome Traiane that day did take moste delight was a certeine maister of Enterludes named Pilas who for rewarde of his traueile did not craue of Traiane but licence to vse his facultie wherein Traiane did aunswere him Princes haue to consider that their commaundements be iust but after commaundement for no request or seruice they ought to reuoke the same That which I will do for thée shal be to paye thée yerely out of mine owne treasure as muche as thou maist gaine by playing in the stréetes of Rome Although Traiane went laden with armour compassed with affaires occupied in warres busied in buyldings importuned with friendes tyred with enimies and aboue all moste studious in amplifying his fame and to perpetuate his memorie he neuer grewe negligent in good gouernement of the common wealth He was no lesse attentiue in hearing either lesse diligent in dispatching base ciuil affaires then those cases of great weight in the common wealth Notwithstanding he were much busied in the affaires of warres he did neuer the more growe negligent in the administration of iustice All the time that he was remaining in Rome once or twice a wéeke he did sitt openly to dispatche matters of iustice For any motion that good Traiane had to be solitarie in his house or for any disease whereby he was withdrawne into his chamber either for any affaires that he â—ad for the warres neuer man came to craue iustice vnto whome he denied audience When any person came much troubled and furious in complaining of some friend or enimie presently he stopte his eare with one of his fingers saying that he reserued the same to heare the accused Traiane did neuer sitt to heare and determine matters of iustice but at the gate of the Emperour Titus and in the place of Augustus and being demaunded why more there then elsewhere aunswered I place my selfe where iust Princes were wont to sitt because in remembring them I may committ no want of iustice Traiane being on horsebacke and vpon the voyage of the seconde warres into Datia there came a woman and saide vnto him Emperour Traiane I am poore olde and a widowe and hauing but one daughter one of thy housholde seruaunts hath rauished her Traiane aunswered poore woman be not importune with mée for I sweare vnto thée by the immortall Gods that being returned from the warres I will do thée iustice to this the olde woman did replye and what suretie hast thou Traiane to returne from the warres hearing so byting an aunswere presently he lighted on foote and deferred his departure vntil he perfourmed iustice with the poore olde woman Traiane helde for custome when any person did complaine presently he commaunded it to be written in a booke which he had in his chamber this the good Prince did to the ende to aske accompt of the Iudge to whome he did remitt the same or else for his own better remembrance for dispatch thereof In some thinges some Princes were equall vnto Traiane and in some thinges did surmount him but in rectitude of iustice there was no prince like him in Rome for that he did neuer man wrong in iustice either at any time had affection or passion in giuing sentence Many times Traiane did vse to say that for Princes to be Iusticers it were right necessarie to be iust in their owne persons because subiectes and vassals be more easily persuaded to do that which they sée then to obey in that which they are commaunded Traiane was the first that placed patrones in the Senate that should defend the poore and the first also that gaue order that one daye in the wéeke their causes should be hearde The Censours or Iudges of Rome did sit but two houres in the morning and one at after noone to heare causes and Traiane did giue order that they should be resident thrée houres before noone and two houres at after noone whereof Traiane was much praised because it was occasion both to cut off suits and to dispatch suiters In the dayes of Traiane none that had charge of Iustice might augment his goods but in that estate of riches or pouertie wherein he began to gouerne in the same he had to conserue him selfe and in repaymeÌ„t of his trauaile besides the rewardes which the Prince did giue him his sonnes were married with the goods of the common wealth Being knowen vnto Traiane howe immortall suites were in the Senate he ordeined that all suites of Italie should continue but one yere and the suites of straunge countries but halfe a yere Traiane made diuers houses in Rome where the Censours and Iudges might assemble to heare and administer iustice and also made strong prisones in such wise that this good Prince prouided that the good should be succoured and the euil chastised CHAP. XII ¶ Of the seconde warres that Traiane had against the Datians TWentie monethes after that Traiane had ouercome the Datians the sonne of king Decebal died in Rome whoe remained there as pledge for that which his father had sworne and promised and Traiane was no lesse greued with the death of that childe then if it had béene his owne proper sonne and heire The day that king Decebals sonne was dead they saye that Traiane saide the death of this childe grieueth me not for that it is a sorrowe to the father but for breache of promise which he shal committ for if he haue béene quiet it was more for the recouering of his sonne then for obedience vnto the Senate Not long after this newes came to Traiane howe king Decebal was rebelled and to resist the Romaines he repaired the diches furnished the castels entred confederacie with his neighbours renued and recouered victuals and more and aboue the rest made warre with the friendes of Romaines The campe of Agius which was a greate and a populous countrie being restored by Traiane vnto him from whome it was taken king Decebal reentred did take and occupie the same in suche wise that all thinges which Traiane had set downe and determined was despised and in all that king Decebal had sworne he was forsworne Relation of these thinges béeing made vnto the Senate king Decebal was pronounced an enimie to publishe libertie vnto all persones to giue him and make him warre bycause it was a law amongest the Romaines
that notwithstanding any did mutine or rebell againste the Prince vntill in Rome he were declared an enimie they might not make warre either against him or his countrie Traiane once more determined in his owne persone to goe to the warres of Datia neither woulde he take with him any Consul or Captaine that was notable in Rome saying that since king Decebal to him onely had broken his worde to him onely it did apperteine to reuēge the iniurie King Decebal howe soeuer he had made experience of the forces of Traiane he would not as in the former warres abide him in the fielde but retired into the most strong holdes of his kingdome to his small profite for Traiane had sworne before he departed from Rome to remaine dead in Datia or bring king Decebal either dead or aliue vnto Rome Many of the Hunnes which now are named Hūgarians many of the Rhenes which are the people inhabitant neare vnto the riuer Rhene were come vnto the succour of king Decebal al which people when they vnderstoode that Traiane came with so great a power and so determined they forsooke king Decebal in the plaine field notwithstanding would he not forsake his wilful purpose for that his condition was to beginne his attemptes with great rashnesse and no lesse stout to prosecute them King Decebal was then of the age of two and fourtie yeares a Prince most certainly in body of perfect proportion gratious in conuersation magnificent in spending valiaunt in armes diligent and carefull in the warres although in the same most vnfortunate the whiche lost both him and his countrie bicause little auaileth diligence where good hap is contrarie King Decebal was a Prince most vnfortunate to match in contention with Traiane whoe was a Prince most fortunate bycause vnto the one all thinges did happen vnto his owne liking and to the other all things contrarie to that he did desire After fiue monethes that the warre was begun as the one Prince did increase the other decrease King Decebal retired vnto a certain castel with the most valiaunt men of his armie where Traiane did vtter expend the vtterest of his skill deuice policie to take him and king Decebal his greatest force and fortitude to defend him selfe By a Decebal counsel on a certaine night they conueyed ouer the wall sixe young men fayning to be fled which came vnto Traianes campe with myndes determined to kill him eyther with weapō or poison King Decebal had inuented this treason for that wanting as he wanted strength he would profite and prouide for him selfe by treason and guile And as Traiane was of a sincere condition and nothing malicious had no suspicion of that malice and guile but rather receiued thē with great pitie and conferred with them a great parte of the day inquiring and demaunding them of the armies and conditions of king Decebal and wherefore he had broken his promise and othe There wanted not in Traianes campe that could discerne by their countenance gesture and silence that those young men were traitours or else théeues and one of them being taken and examined did confesse that by the counsell and commaundement of king Decebal they were come to murther Traiane And as king Decebal was disappointed of this treason and deuice and the traitours chastised according to their demerites he determined another deuice and the case was thus Vpon a truce he craued to speake with Longinus a famous capteine and much beloued of Traiane who being come vpon assurance was taken and bound Traiane was not a little offended when he vnderstoode that Longinus was detained as prisoner no lesse displeased with Longinus that had giuen too muche confidence to the assurance of king Decebal saying that the person which is a promise breaker with men and periured vnto the Gods by no meanes might deserue credite King Decebal gaue Traiane to vnderstande that except he might receiue pardon for him selfe and all his knightes Longinus shoulde continue prisoner to this Traiane made answere that if he had taken Longinus in good war he wold do any thing to giue libertie vnto his person but since Longinus gaue trust where he ought not vnto his worde he was bounde to conserue his life for that good Princes be more bound to mainteine that whiche they promise then to procure that which they desire Althoughe Traiane spake these wordes openly he did geatly trauell to deliuer Longinus eyther for exchange or else for money but Longinus vnderstanding thereof dranke poyson wherof he dyed sent word vnto Traiane that the Gods had neuer to cōmaund that for the giuing of his life they shuld capitulate with king Decebal any thing that were vile or against honour This Romaine straūge act of Longinus gaue great admiration vnto friends and confederats and did yeald great feare vnto the enimies bycause he deliuered Traiane of care and thought and for him selfe obteined perpetuall fame King Decebal perceiuing the greatest part of his kingdome to be taken and lost without all hope to recouer the same eyther able to defende that which remained determined to make slaughter of him selfe some say with poyson some affirme that he drowned him selfe in water other affirme that he hanged him selfe finally he was found dead without any wounde whose head Traiane commaunded to be cut off and to be sent vnto Rome CHAP. XIII Of the great buildings that Traiane made in the kingdome of Datia THe vnfortunate king Decebal being dead and all the whole lande in Traianes power he made it a Prouince which is to say he did take away the title of kingdom and the preeminence of gouernement by Consuls and gaue order to be gouerned by Pretors and to be called a Prouince Traiane remoued a greate number of the inhabitants of Italie in that countrie but many more he brought out of that countrie to be placed in Italie and this he did as a man of great iudgement bycause in displacing the one he obteined sure possession of the kingdom and remouing the other of necessitie they must liue as others did liue in the Romaine Empire When the capteine Longinus dyed he left a brother yonger of age but equall in force and valiauntnesse whome Traiane made Pretour of Datia and gaue vnto him for euermore the castle where his brother dyed saying vnto him of two causes the one is for thyne owne vertue and valiauntnesse and the other bycause thy brother Longinus did serue me Traiane caused great search to be made for the body of his capteine Longinus vnto whome he caused to be erected such and so sumptuous a sepulchre that it was to be douted whether he would haue giuen him so great riches for seruice if he had liued as he spent in making that sepulchre In all the kingdome of Datia there was no knight or Gentleman that had any rents but only the king whereof the king gaue vnto euerie man as he did serue and deserue whereof it followed that the kingdome being
and rulers of the people should not aduenture to spende the goods of the common wealth in matters eyther vnprofitable or superfluous but to the defence of enimies or repayring of fortifications eyther else for prouision of the common wealth in time of deare yeares There was in Rome certaine stipendarie interpreters of all languages to manifest the meaning of straunge ambassadours whose fée and office Antoninus commanded to be forbidden and taken away affirming it to be verie conuenient vnto the greatnesse and maiestie of Rome that al nations and kingdomes should learne to speake their speache and that it were abasement for them to learne any straunge toung Also he did ordeine that al the old impotent blind people in Rome should be susteined at the charges of the common wealth but such as were younger and more able shoulde be constrained eyther to boult meale at the bakers or to blowe the bellowes at the smythes By chaunce on a certaine day he founde an olde seruitour whiche he had knowne long in the warres rubbing and clawing him selfe against the pillers of the Churche Adrian demaunding why he did so rubbe him selfe and weare out his clothes the olde man made answere I haue no garments to clothe my selfe neyther any man giueth me to eate yet if it may please thée Adrian I haue founde meane to rub my selfe Adrian tooke great compassion of that whiche he did sée but much more of that which he heard and presently he commaunded goods to be giuen him and slaues to serue him And as enuie is naturall vnto the poore as pryde is common among the riche The next day other two poore men came before Adrian rubbing them selues amongst the pillers in hope to receiue the like liberalitie whom he willed to be called vnto him commaunding the one to scratch the other and by turne to ease each other of his itch Vnto king Pharasmaco of the Parthians Adrian gaue great giftes that is to say fiftie Eliphants armed with their towers and thrée hundred men of Hiberin in the countrie of Spaine which were of his guard CHAP. XI Of the prodigious and monstruous things that happened during the Empire of Antoninus MAny trauels and hard aduentures followed the Emperour Antoninus while he liued and also in all his kingdomes in the time of his reigne bicause Fortune is so variable that she neuer stayeth her wheele or euer ceaseth to be turning thereof In the second yeare of his reigne hunger was so great so sharpe and so generall throughout all Italie that thereof there dyed no lesse then if it had bene of a fierce pestilence There was in Asia so cruell and so generall an earthquake that many houses and buildings were subuerted many people slayne and not a fewe cities disinhabited for the repayring of which great hurtes he sent not onely money from the common wealth of Rome but also plentifully sent his treasure out of his owne coffers In the moneth of Ianuarie there was in Rome so furious a fire that it burnt ten thousand houses wherein there perished of men women and children more then tenne thousande In the same yeare was burnt the stately place of Carthage the one halfe of Antioche and in a manner the whole citie of Narbona In the moneth of August there was at Rome great floudes and besides losse of their corne both reapt and vnreapt The riuer Tyber did so swell and ouerflowe that one dayes losse was not repayred in thrée yeares On the fourth of the monethe of Maie there appeared a starre ouer Rome conteyning the quantitie of the whéele of a myll which threw out sparkes so thicke and so continuall that it séemed rather the fire of a forge then the shining of a starre In the sixt yeare of the Empire of Antoninus in Rome was borne a childe with two heades the one like a man the other like a dogge but the straungenesse of the matter did more excéede in that with one head he did cry and barke as a whelpe and with the other did wéepe as a childe In the citie of Capua a woman was brought a bed and deliuered of fiue sonnes At that time was séene in Arabia a great and a most huge serpent which being séene of many persons vpon the height of a rocke did eate halfe his owne tayle in which yeare there was throughout all Arabia maruellous greate pestilence In the ninthe yeare of the Empire of Antoninus in the citie of Mesia barley was séene to growe in the heads of their trées in such wise that no trée bare fruite that yeare but eares of of barley In the same yeare there happened in the kingdome of Artenitos in a citie named Triponia foure wilde and vnknowne Lions to lye downe in the market place which became so tame that they made them packehorsse to the mountaines for wood and boyes became horssemen vppon their backes In the kingdome of Mauritania a childe was borne which had the heade turned backwards which liued and was bred vp and also suche as would eyther sée or speake with him most conueniently did place them selues at his backe which notwithstanding coulde both sée speake and go but with his hands might not féede him selfe There died in Rome a Senatour named Rufus a man of great wealth and credite whiche after his death did many times come to the Senate sitting in his wonted place and clad with garments after his olde fashion but was neuer hearde speake one worde and this vision continued in the Senate full two yeares CHAP. XI Of the warres that happened in the reigne of Antoninus Pius and other his actes IT chaunced vnto no Romaine prince as it did vnto Antoninus which alwayes remaining within the bounds of Italie and commonly within Rome was so beloued feared and serued of all straunge kings and kingdomes as if personally he visited had conquered thē In the fourth yeare of his empire king Pharasmaco came to Rome but onely to sée Antoninus and brought and presented vnto him so muche and so maruellous thinges that the eyes of men were not satisfied in beholding eyther their hearts in wishing them The king of Parthians had taken awaye much landes from the king of Armenia who sent to complaine vnto the Romaines as vnto their friends alies and confederates for whome the Emperour Antoninus did write his letters vnto the king of Parthians to cease to do wrong and also to make restitution vnto the Armenians whose letters being receiued and read was presently obeied and perfourmed King Abogarus one of the mightiest and most notable kinges of the Orient the Emperour Antoninus did force to come to Rome bycause that owing a great summe of money vnto one of his vassals he would not come to account The good Emperour Traiane had constrained the Parthians to receiue their seate and royall crowne at the handes of the Romaines which subiection the Parthians both denyed and refused but Antoninus not only by letters but also by apparant threatnings did force them to yealde
woulde buy it but that they shoulde electe him but the Pretorians although they sawe that he was a noble Romane and not vnworthy but verie conuenient for the Empire they durste not put them selues into his handes doubting that he afterwardes remembring the death of his sonne Pertinax would execute on them some rigorous reuengement Sulpitius was a man wise and sapient reposed and auncient with the good wil of the Senate and request of the people to him and no other woulde they haue giuen the Empire and doubtlesse had it not béene for the aliaunce which he had with Pertinax who was his sonne in lawe they woulde rather haue giuen it him franckely for nothinge then haue solde it vnto the other for money The Pretorians being muche despited that they might not receiue money for the Empire since foure dayes they had proclamed the sale thereof and nowe finding Iulianus at the foote of the wall who had offered money for the Empire they put downe a ladder and toke him vp vnto them Nowe when Iulianus sawe him selfe in grace with the Pretorians and the Pretorians hauing him in their handes they demaunded more then he possessed and hee did offer more then hee had The case was thus that they with him and he with them did capitulate iiii thinges whereof none was to the honour of Rome much lesse to the profite of the common wealth Their firste capitulation was that he should giue them presently 300000. sextercies the second was that he shoulde neither reuenge the death or sustaine the fame of the Emperour Pertinax the third was that he should erect the picture renewe the memorie of Commodus the fourth was that freelie they might do vnder his Empire as they had done in the dayes of Commodus in such wise that Iulianus did not onelie buy the Empire for money but also gaue them licence to liue wickedlie This donne and concluded the euent of the Empire was stopt in Iulianus the Pretorians receiuing him in the mids and attending him throughout all the citie publishinge with loude voices Long life be euer vnto the Emperour Iulianus Commodus alwayes Augustus Iulianus would take that ouername of Commodus to do thē pleasure that had sould him the Empire who in their nourture were bred vp with Commodus in their manners and vices as his owne naturall children CHAP. III. Of the great and mortall hatred which the Romaines did beare vnto Iulianus for buying the Empire Iulianus being created Emperour his first act was to offer vnto the gods sūptuous sacrifices being as it was the custome of all newe Romane Emperours presentlye he sent vnto his treasurie for money to pay them of whom he had bought the Empire It was a monstruous matter to sée the iuels that he brought forth the diuersitie of money which he had the cause therof was that he had bene a gouernour in diuerse kingdomes and from them al brought no small sūmes of their coyne Incontinēt after Iulianus obtained the Empire he brought his wife and daughter vnto the court whoe toke vpon them the names of Augustaes began to be serued not as Empresses but as Goddesses because in their statelinesse presumption they sought rather to be adored then serued The Consul Sulpitius at the houre in which he vnderstode that Iulianus had bought the Empire departed vnto a certeine house that he had in the countrie giuing his office vnto Cornelius Repentinus his sonne in lawe who as they say did much resemble Commodus namely in disposition of person and corruption of manners Iulianus gaue vnto the army most great thanks not only for that they had giuen him the Empire but also because they had intituled his wife daughter Augustaes and without his request also had giuen him the name of Pater Patriae father of the coūtrie which title was the most famous that the Romans gaue vnto their Emperours On the other day after he was intituled Pater patriae early in the morning they founde these Latine letters written vpō his gates P.V.E.P. soūding in this sense Proditor Venditor Emptor Patriae and thus meant in english thou art the traytor the seller buyer of thy country Vnquenchable was the fury hatred that the whole people conceiued against Iulianus only for that he had bought the Empire which rancor and hatred they coulde not so couer within their breastes but that they published it with their tounges and shewed it with their handes for on the first day that he came forth into Rome they not onely blasphemed him in the stretes but also from their windowes threwe stones at him neither did they dine suppe or walke in Rome or in all Italie but alwayes their talke was of the treason which the Pretorians had committed in selling the Empire the greate mischiefe that Iulianus had done in buying the same The Senate going to the highe Capitol to visite the newe Emperour resistance was made against them which was not done with armed people but by boyes in the stréetes hurling stones at them and the women from their windowes did curse them which being constoered by the Senate they aduised for that time to returne to their houses no lesse offended then séared Al men bewayled the case with manie teares and offered vnto their Gods many sacrifices humbly praying that it might please them shortlie to take away the life of Iulianus to execute cruel vengeance on that murderers of Pertinax On a certaine time the Circen playes beeing prepared and the seate emperiall placed aloft vpon the Theater when the Emperour Iulianus shoulde haue set certaine of the people rashly not only did remoue it but also did breake it in péeces and he as he was wise and aduised did féele it as a man and did dissemble it as one that was discrete Besides that whiche they sayd in his absence they despised him in his presence and he happened manie times to heare with his owne eares wordes not a little ouerthwarte and iniurious but he was so subtile in that whiche he saide and no lesse dissembling in that whiche he hearde that all the iniuries whiche they saide or did either he toke them in leste or did counterfete not to heare them Naturally Iulianus was a prince of greate vrbanitie that is to say courteous affable gratious and pleasaunt and did honoure reuerence euery man according to the merit of his person the estate which he held yet notwithstanding he could neither get frinds either apease enimies Neither Catiline with his tyrannies either Silla with his seditiōs either Nero with his cruelties either Commodus with his vices were not vniuersallie so muche hated in the Romane Empire as Didius Iulianus and their hatred was so extreme that they shut their eyes because they woulde not beholde him and did abstaine to murmur at him because they woulde not name him When they sawe his horsse passe the stréetes where on hee did vse to ride generally they would praye vnto the Gods that he
slaine his Lord Bassianus not by inducemente of any person but to reuenge his brothers death Many others were of this conspiracie besids Macrinus that ordeyned it and Martianus that sought the same that is to say Nemesianus his brother Apolinarius Renonuus Agrippa al which had sworn his death some for iniuries which they had receiued others for seruice vnrecompenced Presently vppon Bassianus his death Macrinus commaunded his body to be burnt and his ashes to be placed in a coffin of gold so with great gard and no lesse accompanied hee sente the same vnto Iulia his mother in law being then at Antioch who at the instante when she vnderstoode Bassianus to be dead dranke a litle poison wherewith she finished her life The case stāding in this estate newes arriued at the Romaine campe that Arthabanus king of Parthians pursued Antoninus Bassianus to execute vengeance for the iniurie which he had receiued and to the same end the king his knightes before they came to the field made a vowe vnto their Gods neuer more to returne with life before they had slaine the Emperour Bassianus The Romanes beheld themselues in great confusion on the one parte findeing themselues in so straunge a Countrie wythout hope of succour and also for the death of their prince and their enimie so néere at hand to repaire and remedie which mischiefe with great diligence they elected a prince named Audentius a man of honest life and of great experience in the warres which he refused alledging for himselfe age and sickenesse and that of his election hee might not gather but trauel offence vnto the common wealth Two dayes was the armie without an Emperour and in the end vppon Audentius his refusall they elected Macrinus for Emperour which election did rather procéed of necessitie then of will because their Parthian enimies were very néere the worthie persons of the Empire very farre Aboue wée made mention of Iulia the mother in law vnto Bassianus this Ladie being a widowe and resident in the Court in the summer time Bassianus beheld her at a feast as she was halfe naked and inflamed with her loue said vnto her these words If it were possible to renounce this name mother which I owe thee from henceforth I would call thee wife Iulia aunswered If thou wilt thou mayest because princes haue authoritie to make lawes but are not bound to obserue them And as in Bassianus loue did abound so finding in Iulia a readie minde presently he married with her in such wise that vnto patricide he added incest that is to say that hauing slaine his brother Geta also he married his fathers wife Bassianus naturally was euil inclined and if his father were cruell he was most cruell in eating disordinate in drincking vntemperate for many times in his excesse of drinke he would talke at large From his infancie he was hated of all persons no lesse of his owne then of strangers the Pretorian knights onely excepted which was not for the benefites that of him they had receiued but for the libertie which he gaue them to robb and steale Some notable buildinges hee erected in Rome especially certaine stately bathes which hee named after his owne name in cost and curiousnes excéeding all workes and buildinges in Rome He made also a gate in Rome called it Seueriana in the reuerence of the name of his father Seuerus wherin he caused to be grauen al the victories and triumphes that his father had obteined either after or before he was Emperour Hee was the first that brought vnto Rome the image of the Goddesse Isis vnto whome he edified a sumptuous temple and therein did constitute priestes He left no child either legitimate or not legitimate but Heliogabalus whom he had by a néece of his mother Iulia of whom we will speake in the historie following The life of the Emperour Heliogabalus compiled by sir Anthonie of Gueuara Bishop of Mondonnedo preacher chronicler and counseller vnto the Emperour Charles the fifte CHAP. I. ¶ Of the linage and nouriture of the Emperour Heliogabalus THE second wife of Seuerus was named Iulia which was mother vnto Geta and mother in lawe vnto Bassianus this Iulia when she was married vnto Seuerus brought vnto Court with her an elder sister named Mesia a woman of proportion sufficient faire and comely but of condition very wilie This Mesia had with her two daughters whereof the elder was named Semiamira and the yonger Manea both borne in the Emperour Seuerus his Courte and bred and nourished a long time after in the house of the Emperour Bassianus The writers of those times do not name who was the husband of Mesia and the father of Semiamira of Manea and therefore doubted to be conceiued in adulterie or that the father was of linage obscure Mesia remayning in the Court of Seuerus with her two daughters being young very faire Bassianus the sonne of Seuerus had accesse vnto Semiamira and begate of her a sonne named Antoninus Caracalla and for the loue of Iulia his aunt and also to the end the damosell should not bee despised in the sighte of Seuerus the graundmother vsed so great skill in this busines that no person of the Courte might perceiue the daughter to be with child or brought a bed or whether the child was put foorth to be noursed The auncient linage of this womā Mesia was of Phoenicia borne she was in a citie called Mesania néere vnto whiche place in times past a battell had béene fought betwéene the Rhodians and the Phoenicians Antoninus Caracalla on the fathers side was sonne vnto the Emperour Bassianus and on the mothers side sonne of Semiamira and conceiued in adulterie Whē the child was fiue yeares of age he was brought vnto the Courte and there bred nourished with the mother and graundmother but all the dayes that Bassianus liued they neuer durst say that it was his sonne because Iulia his aunt and mother in lawe to Bassianus had married with the selfe same Bassianus and if she had knowen the child to be such she would haue slaine it banished her Néece sent away her sister This woman Mesia was so wise prouident that in the reigne of Seuerus at Court all men did serue her after in the dayes of Bassianus shée commaunded and gouerned all thinges at her owne pleasure and this was in such extréeme wise that with her he did take counsel for the affaires of the cōmon wealth and shée did alwayes accompanie him whither soeuer he went out of Rome although it were vnto the warres This Mesia was frank of speach of no great reformation of life howbeit very skilful in al things which she aduentured to take in hand for notwithstanding al men had of her great suspiciō yet they were fewe that atteyned vnto her secrete drifts Although on the one part she was accused to be lewd loase of life yet on the other shée was praised because shée
either was any thing altered with this newe Embassage making the Legates none other answere but that shortly he would send a newe embassage Within 6. dayes after Artaxerxes sent an embassage of 400. horsemen to Alexander of the most noble valiant and gallantest gentlemen of his armies and the end wherfore he sent so many and so braue was to terrifie the Romanes with the magnificence of the Persians The Embassage of those 400. persons were comprised in fewe words and after this maner were they written The Embassage of Artaxerxes the Persian king to Alexander the renowmed Emperour The great king Artaxerxes Lord of the Persians cōmaundeth thee Alexander king of the Romanes to depart out of Asia and cease to enter possession of Assyria care not to enter into Ionia Caria either to haue to doe with Pontus the sea Aegeum either to passe any countrie or prouince which cōfineth or bordereth vpon Europa for otherwise in not accōplishing these thinges it shal be necessarie that thou be chastised Alexander considering this proud Embassage cōmaunded al the 400. Embassadours to be taken rewarding others with all the apparell which they did weare and the iewels which they had he sent them banished into Phrygia there to till the lands plow with oxen Some gaue Alexander counsel not to banish but to hang them to whom he answered he that saith in his Embassage no more then he is cōmaunded fighteth for defence of his coūtrie vniustly they take away his life Alexander possessing an armie of great power forgot not to diuide the same into thrée parts that is to say sending the one by the way of Armenia the other along the borders of Tygris Euphrates the third part he ledd with himselfe to enter into the countries and fields of his enimies to the end that the Persians beholding themselues assailed on euery side should yéeld and stoope to the seruice of the Romanes In those dayes the Persians had not skil orderly to giue a battel but the ioyntly they fought in heapes so either they did subdue or were subdued and that which is more to be meruailed as well women went to the warres as men neither did the prince giue wages vnto the one or the other more then euery one was able to get rob and spoile in the same Although the Persians were not readie in kéeping of aray yet on the other parte they were much accustomed vnto armes and from their youth addicted to runne horses and shoote arrowes that the Persians had slaine their parentes that their wiues and children were now destroyed by the Germaines Excéeding was the sorrow which stoung Alexanders heart considering with what haste he was called vnto the warres of Germanie chiefly for aduertisement of the necessitie of his personal presence in the same warrs for otherwise the Romanes would not repaire and such as came discomfited from Asia would all depart The greatest griefe that did cruciate and torment his heart was to thinke that at the houre in which the fame of his vnfortunat fight should be diuulgate and noysed through the Empire and the Germaines newly reuolted his enimies in Rome would attempt some commotion in the common wealthe for that it is naturall vnto the common people to desire daily chaunge of newe Lords The Emperour Alexander determined in his owne person to be in the warrs of Germanie and on the other part did write to the Senate amorous letters sending vnto Rome to be offered in the temples great sacrifices and shippes loaden with wheate and oyle to be diuided amongest the people and ioyntly with this he secreately prouided to furnishe the frontiars with men and victuals in such wise that this good prince in his owne person would goe to the warres against his enimies and with his goods would winne the heartes of his subiects With no small diligence Alexander traueiled from Asia to Germanie and immediately vppon his arriuall at Rhene he made bridges of boates whereon his armies might fréely passe and also fight with his enimies Alexander iourneying towards Germanie enterteyned certaine people called Maures which liued in the fieldes Ossroanos bordering vppon Thracia who fought with long lances hauing a head of yron at eche ende with such dexteritie and readinesse on horseback that in riding they would take vp their lances falne vnto the ground and also wound their enimies as well in flight as assault Many of these Maures were meruailous readie archers at the crosbowe and as naturally the Germaines are high of bodie and slow and laden with flesh and the Maures on the other part very skilful in shooting and of like life in skirmishing so they behaued themselues no more nor no lesse with the Germaines then an archer with a white at a Butt that is to say without all danger to strike the same all to péeces Although the Romaines were few yet in their martial affayres they had prosperous beginning and no lesse hope of good successe but the Germaines admitting they were many yet fought they with great misfortune because the Romanes were men of experience but the Germaines chiefly practised manuring the fields Notwithstanding the Germaines did repent them of their warlike attempts and Alexander not misliking his personall iourney yet the good prince forgat not to request them and also pray them with peace for which purpose he sent vnto them wise Embassadors that on his behalfe should say vnto them very good woords and offer large rewards with a general pardon of all iniuries this did hée not for feare but yet with some doubt of fortunes variablenesse which in warlike attēpts discouereth her dealing with most vncertaintie The Germaines most times beginne their warres with choler and prosecute the same with furie but in the end they endure to be persuaded by requests to be ouercome with monie During the time that the Embassadours practised peace they established a truce betwixt both armies whereat the Romane hostes were amazed and no lesse escandalized for that as then being fleshed vpon the Germaines they would reuenge all iniuries and also rob them of their goods In Alexanders armie there was a Capteine named Maximius borne in Thracia in linage obscure in condition barbarous of inclination vicious in office a mansleyar and a robber on highe wayes who for his valiauntnesse in warrelike affayres came by all the degrées of cheualrie to haue the charge of men of warre And to consider a meruailous matter of this Maximius which is to say that as Nature was his aduersarie in depriuing him of vertues natural so was Fortune his fauourer in all variable chaunces because then fortune sheweth her greatnes when such as be of small valure are aduanced to the possession of mightie thinges The Romanes considering howe Alexander practised peace with the Germaines and that the truce cōtinuing he gaue himselfe vnto pleasure and vice all spoyle and robbing of enimies being remoued agréed amongest themselues to create Maximius Emperour to murther their lord and Emperour
were trauersed diuers daungerous skirmishes and no lesse perilous incounters by the consente of Alexander and Artaxerxes they committed both their fortunes vnto the merite of a battell the Persians being ouerthrowen and the Romains remaining conquerours wherein if Artaxerxes had staide his hardinesse and commended the matter vnto policie placeing his power in his fortes and moste stronge places if he had suffered the Romaines by tracte of time to consume thēselues according to the custome of greate armies in straunge countries he might haue preserued both his countrie and honour Great riches were recouered in that battell and infinite the captiues whiche then were taken and as the Persians holde it for a moste greate iniurie to serue any straunge nation so Artaxerxes notwithstandinge hee was poore and ouercome gathered together greate summes of money and redéemed all captiues in suche wise that in Persia there remained no money either anie captiues came vnto Rome Alexander recouered in those warres the renoume of valiant magnanime and not couetous and he was iustely intituled valiaunt for his doughtinesse in fighting magnanime for his magnificent liberalitie and not couetous for the small share that he reserued vnto him selfe The affaires of Persia beeing dispatched Alexander returned vnto Rome entering the same with greate triumph and glorie for that conformable vnto the people and nation which they had subdued was the riches that was brought vnto the treasurie And after being mounted vpon the Capitol he saide vnto the Senate after this manner A shorte Oration made to the Senate Fathers Conscript for that I come tyred with so long a iourney and you no lesse wearied in receiuing mee it were no reason to make long speache muche lesse to inuent newe eloquence because there is nothing so eloquently spoken but if it bee saide out of time or place seemeth tedious vnto the audience He that shall speake or persuade others hath not only to consider what he saith but also to obserue time and respect the assemblie for the Sea at one time doth permitt her selfe to be spurned and at another time not to bee touched By that which ye haue hearde as that which this day ye haue seene ye may vnderstand howe daungerous this warre hath beene and howe copious a victorie we haue obteined for as ye vnderstand Fathers conscript there is no great haruest without great tillage The case is thus that the Persians had in their fauour foure score thousand footemen sixe thousand horssemen seuen hundreth Elephants two thousand yron cartes and two thousand slaues that were young men the one halfe to beare victuals and the other halfe to mend high wayes On that day in which both the one the other came foorth into the fielde to fight no man woulde haue thought but that the whole world had bene come together and also the deade risen out of their graues Of foote men we slewe twentie thousande and did captiuate twentie thousande of horse men two thousande were killed and three thousande did yealde of Elephantes we bringe three hundred and three hundred we haue slaine the cartes the slaues and prisoners they haue redeemed by the weight of money in such wise that we haue taken their countries ouercome their persons and brought away their goods I returne safe sound the armie inriched king Artaxerxes defeated the name of Rome magnified and the confederates satisfied and with all these trauels though we come wearied yet are we not fatigated because victorie is so sweete a thing that it leadeth al trauells past into obliuion Alexander hauing saide these wordes the Senate exclaimed with loude voices The immortal Gods saue thee Alexander the Gods make thy fame immortall since this day thou haste honoured Rome with euerlastinge fame Thou hast ouercome the Persians visited the Parthians subdued kinges inriched the armies and placed vs in great honour for which cause not vnworthily we intitle thee Pater Patriae father of our countrie Tribune of the people most highe Bishoppe first Consul only Emperour of the worlde These such other exclamations manifested by the Senate at the issue of the Capitol gate Alexander saide vnto all persons that there did attend him Fathers sonnes brothers and companions vnto the fathers of the Senate we haue giuen accompt of all that we haue done and will giue you a reason as apperteineth of al that we haue saide For this day the triumph paste sufficeth to morowe we wil visite the temples the nexte daye we will offer greate sacrifices the fourth day wee will giue libertie vnto prisoners the fifte day we will diuide rewardes amongst the poore widowes and orphans the sixte day we wil begin the Persike Circen playes for cōsidering the greatnesse of our victorie we wil first accomplishe with the Gods by whom we haue obteined the same and then with men which gaue vs their assistance When Alexander came from the Capitol hee mounted on horse backe to ride vnto his palace whome at that instante certeine auncient gentlemen of Rome did take beare vpon their shoulders the people gathered together exclaminge with lowde voyces in this manner Blessed is Mamea thy mother blessed art thou Alexander her sonne blessed is Rome that bred thee blessed is the armie that elected thee and blessed is the Senate that did consecrate thee for in thee is conteyned the felicitie of Octauius the bountie of Traiane Thou hast lead with thee into the warres our husbands our sonnes and our friendes whome thou bringest backe with thee all sounde all riche and likewise all contēted wherfore we say vnto thee that if this day we place thee vpon our shoulders for euer more we will lay vp thy memorie in our entrayles In these exclamations the people continued before and behinde for the space of fower houres extremly pestering all passage vntill the chariote triumphant with foure Elephants made the wayes open All that which he saide vnto the people he commaunded presently to be accomplished At the ende of these feastes he did institute a temple of Virgines who were named Maneaes in reuerence of his mother Manea At the same time he receiued newes that at Tanger a citie of Africa Furius Celsus had obteined victorie and Iunius Palinatus likewise in Armenia triumphed ouer the enimies as also Varius Macrinus in Illyria had made a conquest of certeine countries and the currers which brought the newes presented him also with thrée tables of Lawrell The feastes and triumphes being finished he woulde be informed of the officers of the common wealth that is to say how in his absence they had vsed the people and howe they had administred iustice and suche as had not done well he remoued and those that had done well he rewarded giuinge vnto some more honourable offices and to others heritages and money Manie times Alexander woulde say that they deserued as greate glorie that in time of warre did well gouerne the common wealth as they whiche in the warres obteined victorie CHAP. XII Of
The mynes that wee haue be not of Golde to serue thee but of yron to breake thy pride Doth it not seeme to thee O emperour Augustus that since you Romaines haue fought foure hundreth yeres in straunge countries to be lordes it were great reason for vs to fight in our owne houses to escape bondage Prosecute thy warres and do according to the vse of other captaines of Rome and care not to threaten vs and muche lesse to flatter vs for notwithstanding our countrie houses be thine by force neuer whiles we haue life shall wee be but the Gods and our owne This aunswer being hearde by the Emperour Augustus he did sweare by the immortall Gods to take none of them to mercie either to leaue in the citie one stone vppon another And as he promised so he accomplished I would saye in this case that if it were euill to sweare it was muche woorse to perfourme the same Although it be an auncient custome the worde of a king to be kepte inuiolable for the good prince ought not to put in effect that which he hath sworne in his yre CHAP. II. Of the countrie and birth of the Emperour Traiane PRosecuting our intent it is to vnderstand that in the dayes when warre was extremely kindled betwixt Iulius Caesar Pompeius the Pompeians helde Ystobriga which nowe is named Lebrixa and the Caesarians helde Gades whiche nowe is named Calize these two cities did serue to gather their banished to succour their alies and their wounded Before the citie of Italica was destroyed by the Pompeians there did florish two famous knights the one was named Iulius Coceius the other Rufus Vlpius and these two knightes were not onely Captaines at armes but also were chiefe of those two linages that is to saye of the Coceians and of the Vlpians Before that cruell warres entred the citie of Italica these two linages had alwayes betwixt them greate contention but after warres began they ioyned in great friendship for that it hapneth many times that hartes which may not ioyne by loue do after consent and agree by feare The citie of Italica being destroyed these two knightes came to liue at Gades which nowe is named Calize the one of them that was named Coceius was graundfather to the Emperour Nerua and the other which was named Rufus Vlpius was great graundfather of the Emperour Traiane and of the Emperour Adrian by the mothers side The Emperour Traiane was borne in the citie of Calize the xxi of Maye in the seconde yere of the Empire of Nero Rufus and Catinus being consuls In those times there was not in all Europe so famous so generous either yet so profitable a studie as that of the citie of Calize because from Africa they repayred to studie and from Graecia came to learne And to the ende it shall not séeme a fable let them reade Plutarche in the life of Traiane Philon in the booke of Schooles and Philostrato in the life of Apollonius In that citie of Calize vntill the age of xv Traiane studied the Gréeke toung the Latine Rhetorike Traiane was high of body somwhat blacke of face thinne of haire thicke of beard a crooked nose broade shoulders large handes and his eyes in beholding amorous Traiane entring the yeares of xvj left his studie and did exercise armes wherin he was no lesse towarde then valiaunt Traiane was of great swiftnesse on foote and of great readinesse on horsbacke in such wise that it is sayde of him that he was neuer throwne or had fal frō his horse or euer was ouerrun on foote There chaūced a certeine fleete of pyrates to arriue at Calize the which being many and taking the citizens at vnwares the good yong man Traiane did shew him selfe that day so valiaunt in fight and so venturous in conquest that to him alone they did attribut the libertie of their countrie and the glory of the victorie Amongst the Myrmidons whiche be they of Merida and amongst the Ricinians which be they of Truxillio there was raised in those dayes a certaine little warre for the pastures of Gaudiano for that the Myrmidons did say they had held them time out of mind they of Truxillio aduouched that they had lost them and had receiued of them assistance to win them of the enimies The Myrmidons did craue succour of them of Calize in respect of their confederation the Gauditaines did accept the embassage of the Myrmidons as concerning their succour and when they had chosen Traiane for capteine of their armie he made answere The destinies neuer permit either the gods commaund that I take a sword to shed the bloud of mine owne countrie bicause if the one be our friends truly the other be not our enimies And said more Since the warre is not begun and the cause of their debate may be discussed by iustice it is my opinion rather to sende them embassadours to bring them friendes then capteines to attempt wars Conformable vnto all men Traianes answere was both giuen and accepted the which from thence forward was holden estéemed for a knight of great valiantnesse and for a man of great wisedō and iudgement These two vertues goe not alwayes by couples that is to say valiantnesse and wisedome bycause there be some men that be doutie to take perils in hād be not wise to escape thē CHAP. III. Howe Traiane passed out of Spaine being a yong man to goe into Italie IN the second yeare of the Empire of the good Vespasian great Britaine rebelled which is now named England against the Romaine Emperour vnto which warrs Traiane repaired and this he did without charges to the Romaines and for him self to obteine fame accompanied with many others of his countrie In those warres Drusius Torquatus was capteine for the Romaines who persuading Traiane to take wages of the Romaine people as all others did inioy in that warres Traiane answered The merchaunts that come from thence hither they repaire to be more rich but we Gentlemen not to be richer but more honoured The fame that Iugurth obteined in the warres of Numantia that same Traiane obteined in the warres of Britaine in that the one and the other were knights of straunge countries and young venturours and also fortunate bycause for their powers and noble déedes whiche they atchieued in those warrs Iugurthe was king of Numidia and the good Traiane came to be Emperor of Rome That daye whiche Drusius Torquatus entered Rome triumphing of the Britaines being accompanied not onely with knightes subdued but also with knightes and noblemen that had ouercome all the Romaines did inquire for Traiane to sée him and knowe him for that his fame was notorious vnto all men but his person in Rome to verie fewe knowne And hereof it procéeded in processe of time when Traiane and Marius Fabritius did contend for the Consulship of Germanie Fabritius taunted Traiane to be a straunger borne and disgraced in the feature of his body vnto whom Traiane
made answere I confesse vnto thee Marius Fabritius that thy good face was knowne in Rome before thy euill life but thou canst not denie that in Rome they did not knowe mine honest life before my euill face At the first when Traiane came to Rome Titus sonne to Vespasian the Emperour placed him Pretour of ten legions and sent him to the frontiers of Illyria where he remained all the life of Titus The Romaine legions did not a little murmur to haue Traiane for their capteine affirming that in age he was a childe in nation a straunger but after when they found him so valiant in fighting so wise in gouernment they loued him as a father obeyed him as a captein And as in winter Traiane wāted victuals for that he had taken truce with the Barbarians a certaine gentleman sayd vnto him it is not conuenient thou shouldest be so sad or that we shoulde suffer so great penurie take in good part that by dissimulation we break the truce by which meane we shal prouide for our selues and our cattel The good Traiane answered I am not only grieued with that thou speakest but also despited with that thou presumest to say for those matters which we set downe by promise we haue not so great cause to obserue our fidelitie made vnto men as for that we haue sworne by the immortal Gods. And the Emperour Titus being dead his brother Domitian did succéede him in the Empire which whē Traiane vnderstood presently he left the charge of frontier capteinship of Illyria The emperour Domitian was not a little grieued the whole armie as also all the Senate the Traiane had forsakē the frontiers of Illyria for that in matters of warre he had great experience no lesse fortune The Romaines did vse great vigilancie in séeking and conseruing fortunate capteines with whom they did dissemble suffer more defections then with al other persons and this they did bicause there be many capteines that if they be expert in armes they be moste vnfortunate in the execution thereof Traiane remaining in Rome without all disposition to take charge of an armie the emperour Domitian sayd vnto him tell me Traiane it it doutful that my empire is lesse then that which my father Vespasian helde or that I am more ingrate then my brother Titus was that for them thou shouldest euerie day aduenture thy life and for my seruice thou dainest to take a launce in hande Traiane did answere him I confesse that thy power is as great as thy fathers and thy knowledge no lesse then thy brothers but ioyntly with this thou arte verie souden in thy commaundements and very swift in the execution thereof and it may be that hauing charge of thy armies I might be commaunded to doe some thing the accomplishment whereof might stand muche against all bountie and not perfourming the same I should breake the oth of fidelitie that I haue made vnto thée CHAP. IIII. Of the friendship and parentage that Traiane had with the Emperour Nerua IN those dayes there was a certaine Consul named Nerua Coceius banished out of Rome by the Emperour Domitian a man in yeares very auncient and in all that he eyther sayde or did of great credite As Traiane was at that time in the disgrace of the Emperour Domitian frō Rome he departed vnto Nola a certain place where Nerua was in Campania bycause It is a thing very common vnto a man afflicted to seeke the companie of an other in like trouble These two right excellent men whiche is to say Nerua and Traiane remained there long time in Campania poore banished persecuted out of fauour abyding the time when Domitian shuld send to kill thē or when they should heare that he were dead bicause if they desired his death no lesse did he séeke occasiō to take away their liues Traiane for that he was young helde Nerua who was olde in great veneration and Nerua did beare so great affectiō vnto Traiane that he did loue him vse him as his sonne for that Traiane besides his sufficiēcie ablenesse for all causes was in his conuersation most amorous Nerua and Traiane remaining in that banishment found themselues of neare kinred and affinitie that is to say of one countrie which was Spaine of one place which was Italica and that the one discended of the Coceians and the other of the Vlpians two famous and auncient linages of whome we haue aboue made mention When Traiaane passed into Italie he found no other parētage but Nerua and Vlpius Ricinius his vnckle which was two times Consul in Rome Some say that this Vlpius Ricinius was father vnto Traiane but the truth is that he was but his vnckle for Plutarche in an Epistle that he writeth vnto Traiane sayth The good newes in Rome being knowne howe thou hast ouercome king Decebal which did tyrannize this lande so great was the ioy which the people did receiue that as thy fathers bones be in Spaine they had bene here in Italie they would do no lesse honour vnto them in the sepulchre then they shall yealde vnto thee on that day when thou shalt enter triumphing into Rome And for that Nerua was so auncient and so honourable and Traiane so valiaunt and so wel liked many Romaines did come and goe betwéene Rome and Campania to sée them and this was done more secretely then publikely bycause the Emperour Domitian was verie suspicious being most true Verie fewe dare serue or followe such as princes do hate Amongest all other that went frō Rome vnto Campania to sée these two knights was the great Philosopher Plutarche who with Traiane and Traiane with him did plante so perfect and sounde friendship that onely death was able to giue ende to the same And as Plutarche sawe suche abilitie and will in Traiane to learne ioyntly with this there was no wars wherein to be exercised he was so drunken with learning that he did abhorre armes vppon which occasion Nerua saide in iest By my counsel thou shalt leaue bookes and returne to armes since thou haste better handes to fight then a tong to dispute for that it is not iust thou shouldest cease to be singular amongest capteines to be indifferent among Philosophers Traiane remayning there in Campania did marrie with Plotina which was his onely wife and is sayde only for that before nor after did euer marrie other the which vertue vntil his time was found in no Romaine prince for that by growing olde or misliking of the one presently they did take another And as on a day certaine Romaines practised by secrete deuice to kil the Emperour Domitian and in great secrecie gaue part therof vnto Traiane did answere I do well sée that Domitian deserued not to be elected Emperour much lesse deserueth to be sustained in the same yet neuer the more shal I consent vnto his death for that I will rather suffer a tyraunt then recouer the renowne of a traitour Many Romaines
on a time murmuring of the insolencies of the Emperour Domitian Traiane sayde vnto them The intention wherwith Domitian hath intreated me the Gods haue to iudge for of his works which he hath done I may not complaine since he hath bene the occasion that I haue recouered Nerua for my father Plutarche for my maister Plotina for my wife and aboue al the rest he brought me acquainted with aduerse Fortune for that afore I presumed of nothing but to commaund but now only to serue A yeare before Domitian died or to say better before they had slaine him he went to the wars in Germanie and in that yeare Traiane was elected Consul in the Senate of Rome It was no smal griefe vnto Traiane to accept that Consulship not for that he liked not to be lincked with the friendship of honour but for the griefe whiche he felt to leaue the companie of Nerua CHAP. V. Howe Nerua was made Emperour and adopted Traiane his sonne THe Romains not able to indure the iniuries and tyrannies of Domitian determined to kil him the which out of hande they did perfourme the xiiii of October in the fourtie fifte yeare of his age when he had reigned xv yeares In many a day the Romaine people had nor receiued so ioyful newes as the newes of the death of Domitian in such maner that they gaue rich rewards vnto currers postes that brought the same and made great ioy in the countries where they passed for that they did as muche desire his death as they did abhorre his life Petronius capteine of the guard and Partenius his chamberleine were the men that practised the death and also violated the life of Domitian and they them selues gaue order that Nerua presently should be elected Emperour The Romaines did so extremely hate Domitian that not contented to sée him deade to hale his bodie péecemeale trayling through the streates of Rome al his pictures and counterfets they did spoyle and take away all his arches and titles they did raze out all his edifices whiche he had built they ouerthrewe all writings which he had firmed they burnt and all that were named Domitians were banished in suche wise that they could neyther indure to sée him aliue neither heare him named after his death The day after the death of Domitian Nerua Coceius was declared Emperour and of his election all the Romaine people were much pleased the one cause for that he was so vertuous and the other bicause he was an enimie vnto Domitian Presently that Nerua was elected Emperour presently he sent Traiane as Pretour into Germanie to the end he should take into his power the legions and gouernement of that prouince on the one parte for that Traiane was liked and muche desired of all the men of warre and the other for that Calphurinus capteine vnto Domitian was holden somewhat suspected Amongest other euill conditions wherewith the Emperour Domitian was possessed was that all thinges which séemed vnto him good riche or faire he dyd much praise it and therof they had to consider for most certaine that all whiche he praised fréely they had to present the same for if otherwise incontinently he tooke it by force Of these like things Nerua found in his palace much goods of other mens whiche by publike proclamation were all restored vnto the owners In suche wise that this good prince wold not only not take frō other men but also make restitution of that which by his predecessours had bin robbed When Nerua was elected Emperour he was excéeding olde and of infirmities much persecuted for in him there was nothing sound but his toung wherewith he did talke and his good iudgement wherewith he did gouerne The Romaines beholding Nerua so olde and sickly complayning that he coulde not sléepe and that for weaknesse of stomach he durst eate but of verie fewe things they helde it for most certaine that his life was verie short and with this motion they beganne to holde him in smal estimation Considered by Nerua that he had not long to liue and that the Romaines did not estéeme him he remembred to adopt Traiane as his sonne and to accept him for companion in the Empire and so it came to passe that presently he sent him the imperiall ensigne which was a certaine manner of cape with a hoode and with the same he wrote him a letter wherein were written no other wordes but these Phoebe tuis telis lachrimas vlciscere nostras As if he shuld say Noble Traiane thou shalt haue charge with thy venturous armes to reuenge my sorrowfull teares For the disobedience which the Romaines committed against his commaundements and the want of reuerence they helde of his person Nerua of Traiane craued that reuengement bycause it is a thing much vsed amongest men persecuted afflicted that the iniuries which they may not reuenge with their handes they bewaile with their eyes In the time that this did passe Traiane was in Almane in the citie of Agrippina which nowe is called Coleine and the night before that he receiued the imperiall ensigne and the letter from the Emperour Nerua he dreamed that he was inuested with a purple garment and a ring put on his right hand and crowned with a certaine crowne Only thrée monethes and fiue dayes did passe after Traiane was elected Emperour vnto the death of Nerua who dyed in the age an hundred tenne yeares ten monethes and tenne dayes THE VI. CHAP. Of the lawes that Traiane made to the profite of the common wealth AT the instant in which Traiane vnderstoode that the Emperour Nerua was deade he departed vnto Rome where at his comming he did celebrate the obsequies of his Lorde and friend Nerua and they were suche and so riche that it séemed rather feastes for the liuing then honours for the dead bycause there was nothing in them that moued sadnesse but to sée Traiane goe verie sad The first thing that Traiane sayd promised sware in the Senate was that no man that was good and peaceable by his cōmaundement or consent should be put to death which he obserued al the daies of his Empire After this he cōmanded Emilia to be sent for which was captaine of the Pretorian armies whom he commaunded to be discharged of his office and to be banished the Empire the one cause for that he had disobeyed the emperour Nerua and the other cause for that he had imbezeled the payes of the men of warre He commaunded publike proclamation to be made that all men that had iust cause to complaine of the Consuls of the Senatours of the Iudges or other officers of Rome that they shoulde come foorth and declare for that he wished satisfaction vnto the one and correction vnto the other Personally Traiane did visite all offices of Rome which is to vnderstande where they solde breade where they weighed flesh where they measured wine where the merchaunts dwelt where straungers did lodge and so of al other offices among
yere in the whole land there was great scarsitie of bread wherby Traiane was constrained to shorten his iourney and to hasten his imbarkage in such manner that the pestilence draue him out of Africa and hūger out of Spaine Traiane departed Spaine with determination not to stay vntill his arriuall in Asia and there to take the way vnto the greater Armenia would neuer take land in any porte of Italie but passing like pylgrimes made no stay but onely to renue their victuals All those whiche trauelled with Traiane were astonied to sée him passe the portes of his kingdomes as if it had bene the lande of enimies Traiane had a capteine named Valerius Gracchus vnto whom the Emperour did beare speciall affection and did estéeme him as a kinsman vnto this man they say that Traiane sayd in great secrecie If I had found warres in Sicyl Africa or Spaine as I found in Datia whereby I might haue obteined some victorie I woulde not haue passed without landing in Italie but since it is thus come to passe I sweare by the immortall Gods to set no foote a land in Italie vntil I deserue to enter triumphing into Rome High verie high were these wordes worthy and right worthy to be written in the hearts of Princes to beholde this Prince that banished him selfe from the delightes of his own proper kingdomes to séeke fame in straunge landes With great determination Traiane did enterprise the voyage into Armenia wherin he entered making cruell war taking occasion of the king of Armenians which refused to confesse to haue receiued his kingdome from the Romaines but of the king of Parthians Traiane not satisfied to make war vpon the Armenians but also entered the landes and territories of the Parthians bicause in the most principall Prouince of Trapa he deteined his armie more then thrée monethes Parthurus king of Parthians a man of great yeares beholding the warres offered him by the enimie determined to present peace vnto Traiane who being demanded of his Parthians why he discouered so great feare within his owne kingdome he made answere If the wars were but armie against armie the Parthians woulde not feare the Romaines but we fight with the Emperor Traiane vnto whome the Gods haue giuen so great fortune that it farre exceedeth our great power Without consuming of many dayes or imploying of many armies the Parthians made peace with Traiane and the Armenians did yeald them selues as ouercome From Parthimisires king of Armenians the kingdome was remoued and both crowne and kingdome Traiane gaue with his owne handes vnto his sonne and this he did bycause king Parthimisires had sayd that of the Parthians and not of the Romaines he was crowned king in suche wise that the good Traiane in remouing the kingdome frō the father did execute iustice and in giuing it to the sonne gaue a shewe of his clemencie Traiane was not satisfied that the Parthians shoulde haue peace and become tributaries vnto the Romaines but that king Parthurus by the handes of Traiane must be crowned and so it came to passe that knéeling vpon his knées he receiued his crowne kissed his hande and consented to pay tribute Traiane did marche through all those Prouinces and kingdomes and vnto the kinges that did yeald obedience benignly he did intreate them and in their kingdomes did confirme them and vnto suche as did vse resistaunce vnto others he gaue their kingdomes and sent them prisoners vnto Rome Traiane helde for custome that in all principall cities of kingdomes or Prouinces that he had taken by force of armes he did commaunde to erect a most strong castle wherevnto his armies did repayre and a right sumptuous temple wherein to worshippe the Goddes of Rome As Traiane did passe and trauell visite and conquere all the thrée partes of the world that is to say Asia Africa and Europa in all which countries he did trauell to leaue of him selfe immortall fame the testimonie wherof maketh it credible that all the Romaine princes ioyntly haue not erected so many buildings as Traiane onely did performe Traiane did leade his armies verie well furnished ordered corrected and also in great subiection this procéeded that alwaies in his own person he did accōpany the same and helde them both paide and rewarded for as he did vse to say The hoast that of his owne proper Prince is not visited and paide is sildome or neuer in subiection When Traiane was in the warres in his féeding and apparel he did rather séeme a companion then an emperour of Rome for that sildome he went vnarmed and many were the dayes wherein he did eate standing Hauing a bodie somewhat drie and of great sinowes he was moste patient in tedious trauaile of warres that is to say in suffering hunger colde thirste wette snowe heate perils whiche he refused not as a cowarde but sought thē out as one of a valiant mind for that in all hazardes perils he neuer saide vnto his captaines go but let vs go do but let vs do fight but let vs fight He gaue in charge vnto his armies not to attempt to burne houses set fire in corne ouerthrowe milles or cut downe orchardes affirming that these thinges are to be obteined but not destroyed Whē Traiane would take any citie he did not imploye his force in any thing more then to depriue the enimies of their waters In the campes of his enimies he did cause to be sowen false newes that is to wite that if he had victuals to saye that he wanted that if he had money to saye it was spent that if he had muche people that they were gone that if he would shortly giue an assault to saye that he would departe and by this meanes he brought his enimies into negligence while in meane time he did fortifie his armies Traiane was of greate liberalitie vnto such as discouered the enimies secretes and ioyntly therewith of no lesse prouidence for the entering of spies within his campes When he helde warre with any citie or countrye he did not permitt his souldiers to spoile the borders thereof for he helde opinion that smal profit might rise to spoile the poore villages and greate hurte and offence vnto the armies by want of victuals Vnto a captaine that tooke a ploughman kilde his two Oxen at the ploughe Traiane commaunded to be banished with great ignominie and to giue the ploughman his horse his armour and all his wages that was due For no fault Traiane commaunded any man to be slaine in the warres but onely him that slept being of the watche or the captaine that ranne awaye out of the battel or did rauishe any woman Traiane was so pitifull that vsually he did pardon all negligences especially in the warres except two faultes which he did neuer remitt that is to say such as blasphemed the Gods and rauished women Traiane was verie diligent and careful in visiting his camps and to kéepe a reckoning of all his armies and this he did to the ende
that no vagabonds should wander amongest them in such wise that no man went to the warres that did not beare armour and go to the battell Traiane held in his armies maisters of all exercises to teache the young men the arte of knighthood that is to saye howe to playe at the swoorde to shoote in the crossebowe to runne an horsse to skale a wall to mine a castell to wrastle with the enimie to swimme ouer a riuer finally the greatest of Traianes exercise was to augment and nobilitate his armie and knighthood CHAP. XVII ¶ Of the honourable titles that the Romaines sent vnto Traiane and of the earthquake of Antioche THE Romaines did much desire that when Traiane did saile from Spaine into Asia that he should haue landed in Italie but when they vnderstoode of the great victories and prosperities which he had receiued in Asia great was the ioye and sportes which were done at Rome In times past some Princes ouercame the Parthians and others of them were ouercome but neuer prince as Traiane did make them by feare yeald vp their kingdome and that of his owne will knéeling vppon his knées would by a Romaine Prince be crowned The Parthians were a people so vntameable to be subdued that they saide of thē selues the Gods could absolutely confound them but impossible for men to ouercome them Many dayes they were debating in the Senate vpon determination of the manner of thankes which they should write vnto Traiane and what ensignes of honour they should sende vnto him since by his vertue they were all honoured and by his valiant actes feared throughout the worlde All the Senate came to consent to one aduice the which in déede was very generous and noble that is to vnderstande that all maner of coyne should be melted within the Empire and made a certeine newe money in the name of Traiane wherein Traiane was ingrauen and in the compasse thereof these letters were written Imp. Vlp. Tr. Opti Da. Parth. P. P. Tr. P. Con. 2. Sem. Aug. Which is to saye this is the Emperour Vlpius Traianus which was verie good and right fortunate he ouercame the Parthians triumphed ouer the Datians father of the countrie tribune of the people two times Consul his memorie shal be immortal Great was the ioy the Traiane receiued when he sawe that money which the Senate had made and when he read the writing therin conteined but of all the titles whiche they gaue him he gloried in none so much as to intitle him Imperator optimus that is to saye best Emperour for he affirmed that all other titles he had obteined by armes but this other with vertues For defence of colde prouision of victuals Traiane retired in Winter vnto the citie and prouince of Antioche where whiles he remained suche so fierce an earthquake happened as neuer in the worlde past was euer heard or séene The chaunce was thus that on the 22. day of October before the breake of the day soudenly there rose such winde storme so extreme importune that puld vp trées beate downe birdes threw down tiles shooke the houses forthwith it began to lighten and thunder did so sparckle and flame that being night it séemed to be broade daye After the thunder and lightening presently did followe so terrible tempestes and flashinges of fire which with their furious violence brake downe statelye houses set hilles on fire kild men at the soudeine finally it seemed not but that all the world was on fire and that the earth did open And if the earth were afflicted no doubt but the Sea was cruelly tormented for the waters began to swell the windes to alter fishes to be troubled the ayre to be darkened and that which séemed moste terrible the waters did so yell roare braye and rage as if they had béene wilde fierce moste cruell beastes presently vppon the souden there followed suche and so straunge a heate that it constrained al men to giue aire vnto their breastes vnbuckle their gyrdle to throwe off their cloathes to mount into galleries their bodies to sweate and that which was woorste of all that if they went foorth into the ayre the violence thereof did ouerthrowe them if into the sea the rage therof did drowne them As the windes did vse their furie so straunge or neuer séene and the earth so parched and dryed by the drought of the Summer they raised so sharpe a dust that the ayre séemed to be farsed or compound with dust The matter was marueilous monstruous and terrible to beholde the ayre so thicke with dust the Seas to yell and roare the windes in so furious combat that one might not sée another that they durst not open their mouthes neither drawe breath at their nostrils for so greate was the dust that they did swallowe and receiue into their bodies that soudeinly they fell downe dead vppon the earth All these calamities and marueilous wonders were no doubt verie fearefull but vniuersally not so daungerous for although many did perishe many also were saued Then presently began the earth to quake so strangely and vnusually that olde houses did fall walles did open towers did cleaue the monuments did rent and stones did encounter eche other In some places the houses were vtterly ouerthrowne in other partes halfe throwne down in other places walles opened in other some places trées pulde vp by the rootes domesticall beastes slaine finally there was no stréete in the whole citie wherein the earthquake had not vsed his violence If such destruction was executed amongest trées and stones howe great was the calamitie that passed amongest men the case was right lamentable to heare men crye women scriche children waile beastes howle and braye one crossing and encountering another some dead some with broken heades some with broken legges some lamed in their armes and some striken cleane through the bodie At suche time as these thinges did chaunce great numbers of people were come from all the partes of the worlde vnto Antioche some to sée Traiane some to aske iustice some that went to the warres some brought prisoners and others that were straungers and in so great a multitude there was no man that escaped either deadly wounded or hurte except one woman and one slaue Vppon that night of the earth quake Traiane was lodged in a place of pleasure without the citie who leaping out at a windowe not with such spéede but that he was hurte on his right arme not able to saye of the cause whether it procéeded of timber tile or stone Traiane was so terrified with the earthquake that all the time in which he staide at Antioche he would not remaine in any house but in the fieldes in a tent wherein he did eate and sléepe Many dayes after these thinges did passe certeine persons walking to behold the falne houses heard the voice of a woman and digging very déepe they found a woman and her childe that vnder the hollownesse of a vawt were escaped
a thing admirable how the mother without meate so long time might haue milke to nourishe her childe In reedifying of other houses they found a dead woman and a liue childe sucking the brest At the time of the earthquake in Antioch the mountaine Caucasus did so open and tremble that all the cities adioyning doubted to be ouerwhelmed with the fal therof Running riuers of immortall memorie became drye Springs neuer séene or heard of did flow remaine and olde fountaines for euermore dried vp many hilles made plaine and many vallies made euen Finally there was no house in Antioche or within the compasse of the territories therof that was not totally destroyed or changed after a maner into some other order or fashion CHAP. XVIII ¶ Howe Traiane subdued Assyria and what he did in Babylon NOwe when Summer was come Traiane prepared to departe the confines of Antioche towardes the iourney of Assyria to conquer that countrie if that by peace they did not yeald the same and being arriued at the great riuer Euphrates he found the ships burnt all the bridges broken and all the Barbarians in armes with a minde to dye or to defend their countries The Barbarians vnderstanding of Traians approche made an vtter spoile of all their woods to remoue all meanes of renuing their nauie or to reedifie bridges Traiane had intelligence that farre from thence certeine shippes vppon the hill Nisibin were a making whiche presently he sent for and brought in cartes and in very shorte space a flote vppon Euphrates rigged and armed The riuer Euphrates being passed Traiane founde another riuer named Pessin ioyning vnto the hill Cardius which also was of great strength and almost impassable but Traiane brake vp his shippes and once more by land did carrie the same vnto that riuer wherin he fought with the Barbarians that defended their bankes And as they after reported vtterly determined rather to dye then to submitt themselues to subiection But that they conceiued Traiane to be no mortall man which would fight against them but some of the immortall Gods that came to destroye them moued thereunto in beholding Traians readie carriage for shippes by lande as they had by Sea. That countrie was named the prouince of Adiabena which being all ouerrunne brought vnder subiection he passed vnto Arbela and vnto Anguaguemela two most opulent prouinces in whose fieldes in the olde worldes past the greate king Darius was ouercome of Alexander Magnus Traiane spent all that Summer in conquering those prouinces whiche although they differ in names yet differ not in seignorie because they be alwayes annexed vnto the kingdome Assyria whiche the Barbarians changing the S. into T. do call the same Attyria And nowe when Summer began to decline Traiane determined to winter at Babylon in all which way he neither found enimies that did resist him either friends to accompany him because those desertes be so solitarie and drye that hardly bruite beastes be found in the same Before Traiane did enter Babylon he would first personally sée the lake of Bytamin the water whereof hath this propertie that bricke tile sande lime or chalke that is tempered therewith maketh a cyment thereof so harde and strong that yeldeth not vnto stone or yron With this water the tiles and brickes were made and all other mater tempered that did erect all the walles of Babylon Also Traiane went to sée the caue where the water came soaking foorth whereout procéeded a stench so pestilential that kilde all cattel that came neare thereunto and all birdes that did flye ouer the same Men that passe that waye dare not venter the viewe thereof muche lesse to approch the smell except the Eunuches that be gelded which feare not to beholde neither are indaungered by the sauour Traiane might not be satisfied with the view and contemplation of Babylon muche delighting to viewe the infinite antiquities therein conteined and had thereof great compassion and also saide it many times howe many and howe renowned Princes had consumed there their treasure and imployed the chiefest parte of their life to perpetuate their fame which were nowe forgotten and their stately buyldings vtterly ruinated and falne downe Traiane attempted a certeine woorke within that lande which did not onely excell all that he had done in Rome Italic Sicyl Datia and Spaine but also all that Ninus Belus Semyramis and Alexander had made in Babylon Traiane was of so high thoughtes and so singular in his conceites which he attempted and in his buyldings which he erected he was not satisfied that others should thinke him equall with Princes past but iudge and confesse him to be singular amongest the rest The case was thus he opened the mother of the riuer Tygris and of the riuer Euphrates made from the one to the other a great a déepe chanell to vnite them both into one streame a thing for the present easie to be written but at that time verie terrible to beholde because the chanell that Traiane caused to be made from the one riuer to the other was so high so large and so déepe that verie greate shippes might turne saile and ride at anchor Vppon that chanell Traiane did builde a moste stately and a right loftie bridge a strong castell a riche and sumptuous palace and certeine gardeines and orchardes most pleasant and on either side the riuer he built faire houses to dwell in and store houses for merchaunts and to place there his perpetuall memorie did name the same Traianicall Babylon This buylding endured not long and the cause thereof procéeded that the riuer Euphrates had his channell more high then the riuer Tygris whereby Tygris did increase and Euphrates diminish and the Babylonians doubted the one for want of water to be lost and the other with the furie of the water to be destroyed From Babylon Traiane departed to the citie Tesiphont being the head of that prouince which although some dayes it stoode in defence of it selfe in the ende it came to be yealded and there it is said that Traiane found so greate summes of money that he had sufficient to pay his armies to raise vp newe buyldings and also to furnishe his treasurie Greate were the newes that daily came to the Senate of the marueilous victories which Traiane obteined throughout the worlde and howe beyond all Princes past he had augmented the Empire of Rome The inhabitants of Tesiphont were ignorant to sacrifice vnto the Gods or to obserue feastes and holy dayes whereupon Traiane commaunded to erect a temple vnto the greate God Iupiter and gaue them instruction what feastes they shoulde obserue and howe they should sacrifice vnto their Gods. CHAP. XIX ¶ Howe Traiane after great trauaile to passe into the Indiaes was constreined to retire ALl these countries being ouercome and sett in order Traiane determined to saile by the read Sea which is very great and runneth from the Ocean of the Indiaes vnto Arabia and is otherwise named the Sea Eritrean in
and an husband for Sabina When as Adrian had presented many giftes and offered many seruices vnto Plotina partely for the great loue that she did beare him and for that she had married him vnto Sabina she made him answere Adrian according to the good will which I beare thée it is smal which I haue done for thée in respect of that which I meane to doe for that I may doe little with my Lord Traiane but as he hath chosen thée to be his nephew he shall also adopt thée to be his sonne After Adrian had obteined Plotina for his good Ladie Sabina for his wife and Surus for his friend he little estéemed the enimitie of Seuerianus his enimie bycause in Traianes house all did honour him as one in fauour did serue him as a maister CHAP. IIII. Of the loue that the Emperour Traiane had vnto Adrian BY the marriage that Adrian had with Sabina néece vnto the Emperour Traiane there followed him not a litle but very much profite for besides that he was most in fauour with the Emperour and verie well liked of the Empresse Plotina the greatest parte of the affaires of the Empire was dispatcht by his handes Adrian presuming of great eloquence presented vppon a day before the Senate a certaine pastorall enterlude whereat the Senatours and Oratours did greatly laugh not onely of that whiche he sayde but also of the base style wherein he did speake the same He gaue him selfe to the Latine toung and to the Art of an Oratour wherin he grew so profound that they gaue to him as great glory for his speache as vnto Cicero for his writing In the first warres that Traiane had with the Datians Adrian was made Questor that is to say he had charge to prouide victuals and furniture for the campe whiche was an office amongest the armies of great honour and of much confidence for he had both the treasure in his custodie and the payment of the campe When Traiane was eyther sicke or not at leasure on his behalfe Adrian went to the Senate but the Senators although they did admit him to speake they did not permit him to excéede or to take the chiefe place for it was a lawe amongest them much vsed that being assembled in the Senate none should presume to clap his handes to cause silence or cōmaūd the doore to be shut neyther enter being clad with a long gowne or to place him selfe in the highest seate but onely the Emperour Being notorious vnto all men that Adrian was priuate with the Emperour Traiane and in great fauour with Plotina his wife and therewithall that he was a man both prudent and politique and although in the Senate not permitted to the chiefest place yet all things were directed by his counsell in suche wise that at home all things were done as he thought good and abroade as he did commaund When it was knowne in Rome that the king of Datia eftsoones had rebelled Adrian presently persuaded Traiane in his owne person to go to that war and to leaue the enterprise to no other man wherein Adrian did followe and serue Traiane more then any other capteine and certainly did there so valiaunt and notable déedes that with Traiane he obteined fauour and aduaunced his person to great estimation Adrian being thus notified in the warres of Datia Traiane thought it méete to commende vnto him the seconde legion which was vnder the protection of the Goddesse Minerua and in such manner did gouerne the same and gaue his souldiers so great courage that he was the man that did most grieue the enimie and least did feare perilles The thing moste estéemed of the Emperour Traiane was a Diamond which Nerua had giuen him this Diamond Traiane gaue Adrian in the time of the warres of Datia which was so kept and estéemed of Adrian that vntill the day of his death it was neuer séene off from his finger The warres of Datia being finished Traiane returned to Rome leauing Adrian as Pretour of that Prouince Sussurus and Seuerianus being consuls He had not long gouerned Datia when Adrian receiued from the Senate newe prouision to passe into Panonia where he was not only gouernour in causes of iustice but also had charge of all martiall affaires bycause certaine barbarous Danubians had entered those Prouinces sacking and spoyling greate countries Adrian being arriued into Panonia did in short time expell the enimies visited the countries refourmed the armies chasticed the Romaine officers and founde by infourmation that they were great friendes of idlenesse and no enimies of robberie The fame being come to Rome of the commendable gouernement of Adrian in Panonia in the yeare following in the Kalends of Ianuarie the Senate did elect him Consul and truely as they were many that did alowe this election so they were not few that did resist it but in fine the procurers had more force in their diligence then the malice of them which resisted CHAP. V. Of the care and solicitude of Adrian to obteine the Empire IN all Kingdomes and Prouinces where Adrian was eyther Pretour or Questour presently he made diligent inquisition if there were any Magicians of Soothsayers and if he founde any he did persuade them with swéete wordes and riche rewardes to be certified if after the death of Traiane the Empire should come vnto his handes for that he was not onely desirous to obteine the same but carefull to know the issue thereof Being resident in the Prouince of Mesia he was aduertised by a Mathematike that he should be Emperour and demaunding howe and by what meanes he vnderstoode thereof answered by a certaine friend which was not onely learned in the naturall courses but also did vnderstande the secretes of the immortall Gods. Although Adrian was resident in straunge Prouinces he was not slacke to serue the Empresse Plotina and to please the chamberleine Surus in such wise that if his enimies did thinke him farre off they found his seruice alwayes ready and at hande Nowe when Traiane was stricken in age and become sickly Adrian continued no lesse diligent to solicite Plotina and Surus to persuade the Emperour to adopt him for his sonne but on the other side the Consul Seuerianus Palma and Celsus and other his enimies did withstande whose diligence and malice did little profite bycause they did but discouer their intent and coulde not obteine their desire Eyther by the onely will of Traiane or by the importunitie of Plotina nor by the suite of Surus eyther by the merite of his owne person the Emperour Traiane determined to those Elius Adrian to be his sonne after his dayes to succéede him in the Empire for the Emperour had many kingdomes to giue but no sonne to whome he might leaue the same Before Traiane had elected Adrian he was long determined to make no assignment of any person to succéed him in the Empire but to haue vsed the order of Alexander the great who being demaunded whome he woulde assigne to
him or his maister also with great pitie prouided for his cure of which déed Adrian was praised for valiant and pitifull Also in the prouince of Taragon they had coteÌ„tion for their bounds wherein Adrian prouided to plant lande markes of stone after the maner of pillers to the ende that they shoulde neither be stolne or chaunged CHAP. XI ¶ Howe Adrian did passe into Asia and of the things that chaunced there ALl the prouinces of Spaine being visited Adrian made his nauigation by the Sea Mediterrane vnto the Isle of Sicyl where he mounted the hill Aetna to behold the marueilous thinges therein conteined from whence he descended more in feare and abashed then either instructed or satisfied Adrian being descended from the hill Aetna astonied wearied and also derided staide not in that kingdome but to visite the woorkes of the good Traiane which he did amplifie with buyldinges and indued with patrimonies Adrian being resident in Sicyl vnderstoode that Asterlike the greatest lorde of Germanie was dead in whose place he presently created a king whom he sent to gouerne the same bothe well receiued and better obeyed bycause the Germaines helde them selues escandalized in that they had not kinges to gouerne them but Consuls to chastice them The Mauritans and the Numidians being diuided in cruell dissention and vnderstanding that Adrian was in Sicyl readie to passe into Africa amongest them selues they cut off all causes of warre and concluded an assured peace At that time also the Parthians soudeinly did arme them selues came into the fielde made captaines and fortified their frontiers and brought their seigniorie to be ouer the Romaines and not the Romaines ouer the Parthians Adrian being aduertised of this commotion prepared a greate armie to passe into Asia and also did write vnto the Parthians giuing to vnderstand that he helde them as his friendes and the Senate estéemed them as brethren and not as vassals wherewith the Barbarians were so muche satisfied that presently they left their armour and proclaimed peace throughout the lands Notwithstanding he was aduertised of the Parthians retire he alwayes continued his nauigation into Asia and descended first in Achaia and entred Elusin a famous citie of that prouince and leading a great armie possessing but little money he seazed the sacred thinges of the temples saying that he did it not as a Romain Prince but as a Grecian for that Hercules and Philip béeing Greeke Princes had first done and attempted the same He alone did enter the temples of Asia which was holden for great valiantnesse because without armour he entred amongest the armed Priestes and being demaunded why he would enter to robbe those temples alone and vnarmed aunswered because from our barbarous enimies we take by violence but from the Gods by request Adrian departed also vnto Athens and curiously did consider the order of their studies and the maner of their life and saide that in Athens there was nothing perfect but Agonata the swoorde player because he had greater readinesse and skill to playe with the swoorde then the Philosophers in teaching Sciences Whiche notwithstanding he did greatly honour the Philosophers and to some townes he gaue great liberties from thence he returned to Rome where he stayed but to visite to honour and also to bewaile and mourne vppon the tumbe of Plotina Which being finished Adrian againe went into Sicyl and from thence into Africa where he did visit many townes and cities reedified certeine buyldinges banished diuers Numidians and also Mauritanes for their mutinies From thence he did passe once more into Asia streight vnto Athens where he finished a certeine temple which he had begonne dedicating the same vnto the God Iupiter wherein he did ingraue the Image of Traiane did paint with his owne handes the figure of Plotina his moste especiall souereigne ladye and mistresse The greatest exercise that Adrian did vse in Asia was in buylding repairing and consecrating temples wherein he did place his name and paint with the pencill or else in Alabaster did graue his figure Adrian feasted and made a greate banquet vnto king Cosdroe at that time king of Parthians also did restore him his daughter which was committed for hostage vnto the good Traiane and a litter curiously wrought with siluer golde and Vnicorne and gaue him also many other iewels Many kinges of Asia and other greate Princes came to visite and to honour Adrian who gaue them all so noble entertainement and so highly rewarded them that greate was the honour and magnificence he obtained amongest them Pharasmano king of the Albans refusinge to visite the Emperour Adrian and to renue the league made betwixt him and the good Traiane not many dayes after Adrian wanted not occasion to dispossesse him of his estate and to banishe him all Asia constrained thereby to craue vpon his knees which would haue béen giuen him sitting in his chayre Adrian traueiling and iourneying throughout Asia visiting his presidentes procurors and chiefe officers finding amongest them faultes of great enormitie did punishe the same with moste cruell chastisementes The cause is not vnknowen of the displeasure that Adrian did beare vnto Antioche which hatred was so greate that he trauailed to diuide Syria from Phoenicia to the ende that Antioche shoulde not be the head of so many prouinces Visiting also the whole countrie of Arabia he came vnto the renoumed citie of Peluno onely to visite the sepulture of the great Pompeius which he renued and enriched and also did offer greate and sumptuous sacrificâ—s in the honour of the great Pompeius wherof the Romaine people being aduertised receiued no small delight He did not onely honour the sepulture of Pompeius but also gaue greate rewardes vnto the people of Pelusio because they had that sepulchre in reuerence placing vppon the sepulchre with his owne handes this verse as followeth Ossa viri magni tenni quam blausa sepulchro Howe small a tumbe of lime and stones Conteines a valiant warriours bones CHAP. XII ¶ Of the great liberalitie that Adrian vsed and some cruelties that he committed ONe of the thinges wherin the Emperour Adrian deserued most iustly to be praised was that with al meÌ„ he vsed great magnificence and liberalitie for that naturally in receiuing he was a niggard but in giuing very bountifull There was not euer any thing demaunded that he gaue not if it were not preuented by some others suite which alwayes he did recomfort with hope for time to come The rewardes of his noblenesse was the gift of townes cities castles Prouinces kingdomes mountaines riuers flockes or heardes salt marishes milles offices and not onely such as hapned in the gouernement of the common wealth but also he gaue the horsses out of his stable the garments for his person the prouision for his dispences and the money for his chamber in such wise that to deliuer others from necessitie he brought him selfe in to want of prouision Adrian in his life was noted of diuers weaknesses and defections
which were both coloured and couered with his large and bountifull giftes Great were the rewardes that he gaue vnto Epiteus and Eliodorus philosophers but much more was his liberalitie towardes Phauorinus bycause he both gaue him great goodes and honour in the common wealth His custome was when he sent for any to serue him in the warres to giue him al things necessarie for the same that is to say armour to fight money to spend Adrian being aduertised of a noble gentleman of Numidia named Malacon a man both valiant warlike who refusing to receiue the vsuall rewarde that Adrian gaue vnto suche as did accompanie him in warres sayde vnto him It is more reason that I should preuent thée in doing mine office then thou shouldest precede mée in doing thy dutie which is to say that before thou beginne to fight I shoulde beginne to gratifie thée for in the end it is much more that thou doest for me in aduenturing thy life then I in rewarding thée with my goods Many times Adrian would boast him selfe that he coulde neuer remember that he had eaten alone but alwayes did eate in the companie of Philosophers that disputed in Philosophie eyther else of capteines that did talke and conferre in matters of warre He was neate in his apparell curious and delicate in his diet Examining the order of the diet of his housholde and finding the prouision prouided for the honour thereof to be imbeziled and purloyned by officers he commaunded them to be whipt and turned out of his gates for notwithstanding he had a noble mynde to giue a Prouince for a reward he had not patience to suffer or endure the deceit or stealth of a pennie Adrian was a man both seuere gladsome graue courteous pleasant suffering rashe patient furious a sauer liberall a dissembler pitifull cruell finally he was variable in his vices and inconstant in vertues bycause he did not long absteine from euill eyther long continue in doing good Adrian vnto his friendes was bothe gratefull and vnkinde that is to say he gaue them much goods and did not much estéeme their honour Great inconuenience did followe the Emperour Adrian for his infidelitie and want of faith vnto his friendes which did most clearely shewe it selfe in Tatianus Nietus Seuerus and Septitius whom at one time he helde for friends after did persecute them as enimies Eudemius a noble Gentleman of Rome he was so great a frend with Adrian that he offered sacrifices vnto the gods to giue him the Empire and after Adrian did beare him so great hatred that he did persecute him not onely to cast him out of Rome but also vntill he had brought him to extreme pouertie Polenus and Marcellus were of Adrian so euil handled and persecuted that they chose rather to dye with their owne handes then to liue vnder his gouernement Eliodorus a most famous man in letters both Gréeke and Latine was not onely of Adrian persecuted but also put to death and torne in pieces whose death was much be wailed for that he was profitable vnto the whole comon wealth Oluidius Quadratus Catalius Turbon auncient Consuls were by Adrian persecuted although not put to death bycause euery one séeking to saue his life were banished Rome and all Italie The noble Consul Seuerianus husbande vnto Sabina sister vnto Adrian of the age of a hundred and ninetie yeares was constrained to dye for no more but for that he had reported to haue liued the death of thirtene Emperours that if Adrian should dye first it should make vp the number of xiiij the which when Adrian vnderstoode he rather determined to take him from amongest the liuing then he should reckon him amongst the deade In all things Adrian was very wel learned that is to say reading writing singing painting fighting hunting playing and disputing but that he had therewith a tache or a fault which was that if he knewe muche he presumed much wherein he was noted of all men bycause he scorned all men After he entered into Aegypt he gaue him selfe vnto Astrologie and held for custome yearely to write out of that science of al things that should happen that yeare which also he did in the yeare that he dyed but obteined not the knowledge thereof Adrian in one thing did séeme to excell in that he neuer desired the knowledge of any facultie art or science but that he procured to be singular He ouercame many warres with armes but he did appease and cut off many more with giftes bicause vnto diuers peoples cities and townes he gaue libertie and priuileges and to his Lords and viceroyes he gaue great rewardes Although in some particular things touching both friendes and enimies he shewed him selfe both affectionate and also passionate vniuersally as touching the weale of the common welth Adrian was alwayes friend in ministring iustice When there happened any graue matters at the souden he wold furiously be altered but at the time of iudgement and determinatiō seriously he did both consider examine them He did sildome determine matters without counsel and to this end chiefly vsed the aduice of Siluius and Neratius the most learned of that age and approued by the Senate Naturally he was of an vnquiet heart and of condition intermedling It did happen vnto him many times in reading of histories when he found of any place or coūtrie that was possessed of any extremitie or singularitie that he could not come to the viewe thereof with extreme desire he did many times growe both sicke and sorrowfull Notwithstanding he was large and of great magnanimitie with Philosophers with countries with men of warre and with his friends much more was his magnificence to the ministers of iustice and being demaunded of Fauorinus why he was so boūtiful vnto them answered I make the ministers of iustice riche bycause by robberie of iustice they shall not make other men poore CHAP. XIII Of the lawes that Adrian made MAny and right necessarie lawes were made by Adrian whiche were approued by the Senate and receiued of the common wealth and long time obserued He did ordeine that if any man would remoue from one citie to an other that at his owne libertie he might sell his house but not to aduenture to pull it downe eyther to sel or make profite of the stuffe therof bycause the authoritie of a common wealth is impayred when the buildings be ruinated He did also ordeine that when any man was condemned to dye for offences of great enormitie and his goodes confiscate that his children shoulde inioy the tenth part of those goodes in suche wise that for that whiche was taken from them they had to bewaile the offence of their fathers and for that which was giuen them they shoulde féele and also commende the clemencie of the Prince Also there were certaine cases forbidden in whiche if any man did fall or incurre he was accused as if he had committed great treason againste the estate Royall
as Pretor euen so I discharged thée of thine office not as Antoninus thy old friende but as an Emperour of the Romaine Empire He was not inclined to beginne warres either in his owne person to prosecute the same for he holde opinion that the Prince with more sounde counsell shoulde commend his warres vnto his Captaines to the ende in his owne person to gouerne the common wealth then to goe to the warres him selfe and leaue his common wealth vnto others Talkinge on a time in his presence of warres and battels that Iulius Caesar Scipio and Hanibal had fought and ouercame in the worlde Antoninus Pius aunswered Let euery man holde opinion what he thinketh good and praise what it pleaseth him but for mine owne parte I doe more glorie in conseruing peace many yeares then with warres to conquere many battailes In the seconde yere of his Empire the Britains rebelled against whome he sent the Consul Laelius Vrbicus whoe subdued that Islande although afterwards by mischaunce he lost his life In the thirde yeare of his Empire the Mauritanes also rebelled whiche are a people of Africa againste whome he sent the Consul Murus Cespitius whoe vsed so greate policie in those warres that hée constrained them to craue peace In those dayes the Germaines and the Datians had greate warres amongest them selues vppon the diuision of certeine territories but in the ende after their owne destruction amongest them selues they came to suche concorde that they bent their whole force as cruell enimies against Rome and the countries thereof protesting and affirminge their charges to bée muche more in paying so greate and so continuall tribute then might arrise by defence of their persons against the Romaine power Antoninus vnderstanding of this rebellion hee woulde not presently sende foorth an armie but a Iudge with greate power to visite those countries to mittigate and vnfolde all griefes and to remoue all vniust tributes and ioyntly therewith did write suche and so good woordes that at the instant those Barbarians left their armour and did yeld their countries vnto the obedience of Rome Of this example all mightie Princes haue to take example to the ende that with furie they vndertake not to tame a furious people because manye times hartes be more tamed with swéete woordes then with cruell armes The Iewes that were in the prouince of Pentapolis also he did represse and tame which was don by the hands of the president that was in Assyria whom he commaunded first to offer them peace before he made them warre In Achaia and Aegypt also certeine people did rebell vnderstanding the occasion to procéede of the Romaine Pretors whiche were rigorous in their commaundements and couetous in their dealings gaue order that his officers were chastised and the people pardoned The Pretors that were resident in the countries of the Alanes sent to complaine at Rome howe daily they were threatened to be slaine onely for demaunding tribute vnto whome Antoninus aunswered We haue receiued your letters and be grieued with your perils and no lesse sorrowe your trauailes if these people do paye their tribute which they doe owe suffer their threateninge which they make because it is néedelesse to thinke that any man which is a tributarie shall liue contented In any wise aduenture not to giue them iniurious woordes to committ briberie or to do them wrong because in suche cases wée haue to heare their complaintes and to correct your offences The Gods haue you in keeping and guide well your Fortune CHAP. II. ¶ Howe he did visite the officers of his common wealth and the reformation of his house WHen Antoninus sent any Pretor to gouerne any prouince he was not satisfied that he were wise prudent and valiaunt but also without any infection of pride or couetousnesse for he helde opinion that he may euill gouerne a common wealthe that is a subiect to pride or couetousnesse Vnto Pretours Censours and Questours before he gaue them any gouernement of any countrie first he caused them to giue an inuentorie of their owne proper goods to the end that when their charge were finished the increase of their wealth might be considered and ioyntly therewith he did both say and warne them that he sent them to minister iustice and not by fraude to rob countries In all thinges that Antoninus commaunded prouided and chastised he was very pitifull such excepted as did offend in the execution of iustice with whom he was both rigorous extreme in such wise that other offences were they very great he did pardon them but as concerning iustice the smallest offence was grieuously punished On a time certaine officers of his treasure brought him a memoriall wherein was conteined the manner and fourme yearely to increase his rents which being séene and read in the backe thereof he did write these wordes the order and fourme that you haue to searche ought not to be to the augmentation of my rents but for the aduancement of my common welth eyther to impose newe tributes but to deuise with order to auoyde excessiue expences for if Romaine Princes vse no rule to moderate their charges eyther we shall lose our selues or rob our common wealthes Amongest all the Princes past onely Antoninus did neuer permit the rents of his estate eyther more or lesse to be augmented but rather did pardon many common wealthes of their olde debts and also relieued others of some newe impositions Presents that were brought him of siluer golde silke purple iuels or other riche things he woulde not receiue them were it not of the kings that payde tribute vnto the Empire for he helde opinion that the common wealthes rather then him selfe had néede thereof The things that he vsed most commonly to receiue were bookes to reade in horsses to runne and fruite to féede on which he forgate not gratefully to recompence In affaires he vsed great expedition that is to say that if he once did vndertake any businesse he neuer withdrewe his hand vntill it were finished Euery yeare he caused his house to be visited as concerning excessiue expences if exaction or briberie were committed by any of his houshold against straungers if they did serue which receiued wages if amongest them there were any that were notably vicious finally all that whiche the visitour for the remedie hereof did set downe presently was perfourmed For the time of Domitian the Emperours officers had a custome to receiue many chargeable fées of al men that by warrant of the Princes liberalitie receiued reliefe which the Emperour Antoninus as a vile custome did vtterly take away affirming that a gratious rewarde ought gratis to be dispatched The pryde the presumption the hautinesse and also the tediousnesse of the whole Empire he brought placed and restored vnto the plat of great humilitie in suche wise that as easily they dispatched affaires with the Emperour Antoninus as with a citizen of Rome A matter surely to be noted to beholde the Court of Rome in the dayes of this
inherite You haue great reason in minde to be satisfied and in harte contented since ye haue a prince not deliuered by the hands of strangers but borne in your owne houses I confesse that to proue good it auaileth muche to desire and also procure to be good but ioyntly herewith I saye that to be a prince it necessarily requireth to haue the fauour of his kingdome for otherwise if straungers do repugne and subiects do not succour it may be in his owne handes to be a good man but not in his power to be a good Prince My father was olde and I am yong wherof it foloweth that more glorie redoundeth vnto you by yealding obedience vnto me then vnto my father bicause obedience done vnto him proceeded of the merit of his authoritie but that which yee shall yealde vnto mee proceedeth of your owne pure vertue All the rewardes honours and offices that my father gaue in time of his life from henceforth I confirme them vnto such as hold them for that being as he was both holy and vertuous the Gods aproouing all his actes it were not iust they should be disalowed of men Neither in the dignities of the Senate the captainshippes of the armies the offices of my house there is nothing to be sayd much lesse to be altered only one thing remaineth betwixt my father and mee which is that I confirme his good works change my vnreformed maners Let vs ioyntly put on noble minds to giue good end vnto the warres whiche my father hath so happily begunne which being finished wee will all goe to our ease and solace and inioy the pleasures of Rome whiche warres if wee should leaue vndone although the hurte should redound to mee the faulte should proceede and be imputed vnto you I will not saye more vnto you my friendes companions but that I request and desire you alwayes to commend vnto your memorie the great loue that my father hath borne you and the good dealing he alwayes vsed with you that from his antiquitie my tender yeres and your greate vertue ye maye frame a Prince good for your selues and profitable for the common wealth Finally I saye that if ye haue my father in remēbraunce ye will neuer forget or disobey mee his sonne for comparing his vertue with my libertie doubtlesse and without comparison ye shal be much more persuaded by his noblenesse then altered by my youthfulnesse This talke being finished much money was throwen out amongest the armyes because on such dayes it was amongest the Romaines muche vsed The Romaine Princes did not muche varie from reason to giue and promise muche money in the beginninge of their Empires for as muche as the malice of man is greedie and couetous they are more persuaded withe a little money which is giuen then with many wordes that are spoken vnto them CHAP. IIII. ¶ Of a certeine famous and notable speeche vsed by one of his tutours for that he would leaue the warre of Panonia vnfinished ALl the officers of the Senate and all the captaines of the armie did marueilously mitigate their sorrowe for the death of their moste louing Lorde Marcus Aurelius when they hearde his sonne Commodus talke with so greate singularitie not onely for that he confirmed whatsoeuer his father had done but also because he promised by imitation most naturally to resemble him But what and howe great difference was betwixt the wordes of this Prince at that instant the workes which after he perfourmed in his life was muche too muche for nothing was more aparant then that al his good words and woorkes vppon that day did finishe and take an ende because from that day he did not onely speake euil and do euill but that which is woorst of all it was neuer séene that euer he had any motion or desire to do good Many be wicked and desire to amende but this person so vnhappie and solde to sinne was not to day so euil that he desired and procured not to morrowe to be woorse Certeine dayes after he had vsed this talke vnto the army he permitted to be gouerned by the aduise of his tutours but euen shortly after he both forgate the commaūdement of his father and his promise made vnto his men of warre for that he lost not onely the feare of his tutors but also the loue and shame vnto his friendes Commodus when he did inherite the Empire was weake delicate and of tender yeares but notwithstanding did vse such licence and libertie of life that decayed his person and damnified his inclination and manners His tutors and gouernours finding the offence that insued therof aduised to remoue the mischiefe by information and counsel in secrete but so peruerse was his condition that for their gentle admonition he did presently abhorre them Nowe when Commodus had publiquely lost his feare vnto tutors his obedience vnto gouernours and reuerence vnto his friendes he woulde neither beholde the one or speake with the other but that all his communication and conuersation was with persons light young and vicious vnto whome he committed all his secretes who began to persuade him to leaue the warres to go to Rome renuing his memorie with the opulencie of Italie and the beautie of Rome and ioyntly did murmur at the land of Panonia saying it was barren drye colde poore and contagious and that to drinke a pitcher of water they were first constrained to breake the Ice With these and suche like woordes Commodus was easily persuaded to leaue the warres of Panonia and take his waye into Italie and to bring the same to effect calling his tutours and gouernours into his presence fained to haue greate suspicion that while he remained in the warrs some others should cōspire rebel in Rome in respect whereof to avoyde the woorste he was determined first to assure him selfe of his owne countries before hée conquered straung kingdoms So greate sorrowe entred the harts of the gouerners and capteines that were present at that assemblye that heauily castinge their countenaunces on the grounde they were not able to aunswere one woord A Senatour named Pōpeyanus being present at that counsell who had married Lucilla daughter vnto Marcus Aurelius and elder sister vnto Commodus besids his aliance in marriage he was a man both rich wise valiaunte and aunciente and therewithall had greate boldnesse in that which he did and no lesse credit in that which he saide This Consul Pompeyanus beholding all the assembly in great silence thought good to take in hand to aunswere the Emperour Commodus after this manner The Oration of Pompeyanus to Commodus Oh my sonne and my Lord for thee to haue desire to see Rome to go into Italie is no meruel for the same which thou desirest all we haue longe wished but folowing and imbracing reason we endure not to be ouercome or carried away with sensualitie I call thee sonne because I haue bred and nourished thee from thy youth and I call thee Lord because thou
manifested the whole matter which were not onely pardoned but also largely rewarded The treason being detected which the traitour and tyrant Perennius had deuised it séemed good vnto the friendes of Commodus and the enimies of Perennius to the ende to deliuer him from all suspicion first and immediately to cut off his head for that Perennius being guilefull and in great power might haue preuented his owne execution with the slaughter of others A great parte of the night being past and Perennius reposing in his owne house Commodus commaunded him to be called in great haste aduertising him at the instant of letters out of Asia who entring the Emperours chamber founde not Commodus but yet wanted not that presently cut off his head At the instant that Perennius was put to death a post with greate spéede was sent into Illyria by whome Commodus did write vnto the sonnes of Perennius that all thinges set aparte they should repaire to Rome to visite their father being sicke in his bedde to the ende that if the destinies shoulde permit his death to succéede in his place The sonnes of Perennius did well thinke that all had béene truthe which was written vnto them and nothing doubting the detection of their treason presently departed towards Come but at their entrie of the first citie of Italie they were made shorter by bothe their heades This in conclusion was the ende of the tyrant Perennius which lost his sonnes his goods his honour and his life not rather for any mischiefe then for his presumption and pride Of this example let all Princes take warning howe they magnifie their seruauntes with too greate wealth and power and this is saide because potencie ingendreth enuie and ouermuch riches doth breede and bring forth pride CHAP. IX ¶ Of the tyrant Maternus and of his treason against Commodus EXcéeding ioy did the Romaines receiue of the death of Perennius and his sonnes because his auarice and pride was more sharpe and intollerable then the folly of Commodus The offices of Perennius were diuided amongest many because it séemed that so greate authoritie and power to be placed and committed in one person were to put his life in perill and his Empire to commission Incredible and innumerable were the richesse iewels and money that were confiscate by the death of Perennius and his sonnes but they were so wilfully and wickedly diuided and spent that whatsoeuer Perennius gathered by extortion and briberie Commodus spent imployed in vices There was in those dayes in Italie a certeine man named Maternus who from his childhood was bred in the armies of Illyria of nature bolde and valiant subtile painefull sharpe or quicke proude seditious and stammering in such wise that as he was filthie of his toung so was he soudeine of his handes In all debates seditions and mutinies which happened in the campes or cities this Maternus was euer founde one either the chiefe authour thereof or else to be noted aboue the rest because they saye this was his common speache that on that daye wherein he shed no bloude wine had no good relishe The captaines of the armies did partly beare with him for his valiantnesse but on the other side they might not endure his continuall quarelinges and in the ende his lewdnesse being growen intollerable they did not onely dispatche him from the warres but also did banishe him the confines of Italie This Maternus being a ringleader of all wicked and desperate persons that were in the armies many did accompanie and also followe him in that exile not to remaine as bounde to leade a better life but to haue libertie to committ muche euil With those companions that Maternus had recouered from the armies and with others that dayly ioyned with him he obteined vnder his Standarde twentie thousande footemen and two thousand horssemen within the space of foure monethes with which people Maternus committed so many robberies burnings and slaughters in the cities and territories of Italie as if an Hanibal had béene raised from the dead to conquere Rome Italie being robbed and sacked Maternus departed into Lombardie and from thence into Fraunce and after into Spaine in which kingdomes he continued in that courtesie whiche he vsed in Italie and that whiche was moste to be marueiled was that his armie daily increased and no man attempted to resist him in suche wise wise that with them which were present he did yeld occasion to be busied and with them that were absent he ministred matter of communication This tyrant Maternus and his people helde no other trade but to rob temples to sacke townes to scowre the fieldes to spoyle corne to burne houses to force women to defile virgins and that whiche was woorste that not contented for them selues to liue at libertie they brake prisons and set at large all malefactours It is amongest euils the supreme euil and in tyrantes the greatest tyrannie that they of them selues will not liue according to reason and iustice but that also they wil not consent that malefactours be committed to iustice Maternus and his armie remaining in Spaine Cōmodus wrote vnto all the Pretors of those countries to raise an armie of great power to destroy the tyrant Maternus and to make greate promises by publique proclamations that vnto him whiche should cutt off the heade or take the bodie or person of Maternus shoulde haue in rewarde all his goodes and his picture aduaunced and set vp in Rome The first proclamations were published in Saragosa at which time Maternus was resident in Taragon who being aduertised that they of Spaine prepared an armie against him and that amongest the captaines great wagers were laide who shoulde first ridde him of his life he determined to returne into Italie with determination to kill Commodus in Rome Where vpon Maternus moste secreatly conferred with his chief and special friends arrantest théeues and most doughtie personages to forsake the armye seuerally diuidinge them selues by sundrye wayes vpon one certaine and appointed day without faile to make their méeting in Rome Presently after Maternus was gonne out of sight al the remnant of his army was dismaide and fel in péeces wherof there were infinite taken strangled drowned drawne hāged in such wise that in so great a number of theues none had better aduenture then to be slaine or put to death except he had friendly fauour of fortune to be made a bondman Maternus his cōpanions the day houre place on which they had agréed in Spaine ioyntly did encounter at Rome whiche for a time wente dispersed disguised by day but ioyned by night to committ their theftes being furnished for their prouision but onely with suche prouision as they might pick by day and steale by night wherein they vsed so greate shiftes guile and skill that although they accompanied but by couples yet if the warde or watche by daye or night did attempt to arrest or offende any one at an instant they were all ready for
that for the more part all matter were dispatched at his will and pleasure in such wise that Commodus gaue or firmed nothinge if Cleander did not signe or allowe the same Commodus had neuer any priuate or fauoured seruaunt that in all points could so winne his will as Cleander who affirmed to wishe nothing that Commodus wished not either to allowe any thing that hée said not but aduouched also that he did not thinke or dreame but that which Commodus did dreame and thinke and with these and suche like lyes and flatteries hee wan the hart of Commodus and obteyned seruice of the whole Empire After Cleander beheld himselfe the onely priuate and fauoured seruaunt of Commodus hée easily made himselfe rich obteyning the custodie not onely of the whole common treasure but also the kéeping of all the monie and iewels of the Emperour Cōmodus and further in giuing offices and receiuing presentes his sinceritie excéeded not But Cleander finding himselfe in so great magnificence began not greatly to regarde so great fauour or much lesse the obteyning of so great wealth conceyuing in the end that Commodus did vse him as a vassall and that hée must accompt him as his Lord to cut off which opprobrie and to giue contentation vnto his heart he determined to kill Commodus and for himselfe to vsurpe the Empire Cleander did build at the port Salaria most costly and delectable bathes and comaunded proclamation to be made in Rome to notifie vnto all men that would bathe therein to be discharged of all cost and fréely to vse the same and also added thereunto great pastimes and preparations vnto all kinde of vices in such wise that there they cleansed their bodies defiled their soules Many times Cleander did inuite the Senate and sent them particular presents home to their houses The Pretors Censors Questors Tribunes Prefectes and other Romane officers he caused their dueties to be paied and all the men of warre he did not onely pay them but also did trauel to hold them contented in such maner that some with vitious delights and pleasures and some by rewards giftes and monie in a maner he recouered all men for his friendes In the yeare of great hunger and pestilence in Italie Cleander bought all the wheat in the countries adioyning vnto Rome wherein his intent was not to gaine or make a profite thereof but to bring Rome into a necessitie to the end that all men should come to his house for wheate and therein to haue vsed so great liberalitie in selling good cheape and giuing plentifully in a yeare so deare that after the death of the Emperour Commodus they should not mislike to giue him the Empire And as hunger increased cruelly a great part of the yeare beeing as yet to come and the people not knowing Cleanders intent who did neither giue or sell any wheate soudainly al Rome did rise exclaming death and treason against Cleander as an vsurper of the goodes of the common wealth Cleander being a man valiaunt of great power and Captaine of the guard comaunded all the men of his captaineship to be armed who did place themselues in the compasse of his house for the garde of his person and to resiste that ciuil furie although it be most true that hée rather defended the sacking of his house then of feare to defende his life The townesmen on the one side and Cleander on the other part trauersed amongest themselues so long and perillous a contention that it séemed no other matter but that Silla and Marius were once more fallen into fight for the seignorie of Rome And as Cleanders partie was defended with men both armed and determined in the first onset they executed so great slaughter amongest the people that scarsly a streate was to be founde in Rome that was not bathed with bloud either any place great or litle that was not filled with dead bodies The townesmen perceyuing the slaughter and hauocke which the men of warre so cruelly did performe amongest them retired euery man into his house and fortifying their doores they fought from their windowes and house toppes and from thence threw and whirld out stones tiles spitts potts and caldrons and in that so common danger no lesse did womē fight then men Cleanders partie so hardly handled that scarcely remained a hundred that were not slaine or woūded Whilst these déeds were doing at Rome Commodus was recreating himselfe in an house which he had in an orchard and Cleander being of great power of some feared and of others beloued no man durst make report therof vnto Cōmodus because so strong was the frendship betwixt them that they feared the displeasure of the one and the vnkindnes of them both There was in the Courte a sister vnto Commodus named Fadilla whose eyes being charged with teares and tearing her haire from her head as one in gret distresse said vnto her brother Commodus Most serene prince and right deare brother if thou wert aduertised of the condition and estate of Rome thou wouldest not be so carelesse solacing in this garden because I giue thee to vnderstand that the yeomē of thy guard in the fauour of Cleander and al the other people of the common wealth haue trauersed amongest themselues so cruell a fight that if presētly at this instant thou prouide not some remedie this day wil be the end of the Romane people The exceding honour the great riches to to much fauour which thou hast imployed vppon Cleander hath raised him into exceeding great pride wherof although he be in the fault yet the occasion hath beene giuen by thee for as thou makest Lordes of bondmen it is most certaine that they will make slaues of Lords noblemen The people be so furious against Cleander Cleander and his men so flesht against the people that thou haste to chuse one of two thinges which is to witt to yeld Cleander vnto the common people or els to abide what fortune of them and vs shal be proued for as the case standeth now impoisoned it is impossible that ioyntly thy life and his person this day may be preserued These words being spoken by the infant Fadilla all men present recouered new boldnes persuading Commodus to remoue Cleander from amongest them and so to appease the whole people of Rome and to hold the ease of the common wealth more deare then the friendship or life of Cleander Commodus hearing these matters dismaid with feare forthwith cōmaunded Cleander to come vnto his presence and at the instante of his appearance commaunded his head to be cut off which being set vpon a lance and carried about Rome immediatly the whole multitude was pacified Cleander being put to death his children seruauntes friends were executed whose bodies after they were drawen by boyes throughout Rome were throwen into sinkes and places of vile ordure This was the conclusion and end of Cleander and the end of his children his house goodes and honour who though
sonne shée dyed and passed out of this worlde Vnto whom Pertinax erected so solemne and sumptuous obsequies and so generous a sepulchre whereof was diuined that shée was the mother of some Emperour to come and that the Empire should fall into his handes The affaires of Germanie being settled the Emperour Marcus Aurelias sent his commaundement vnto Pertinax to passe into Datia which nowe is named Denmarke and did assigne him fiftie thousande sextercies for his stipend whiche may amount to fiue thousande Ducates of our money whereat manye did enuie no lesse for the greate summies of money which he gaue him then for the honourable gouernement that he committed vnto him Nowe Pertinax being growen verie riche and notified bothe valiant hardie and in greate estimation hee was there withall enuied of manie which hatred borne him by his contemporants and companions in the warrs they discouered by their extreme publishing his negligences darkening and inféebling his heroicall actes It is an auncient custome in the malice of man to holde nothing for well done but that which we loue although it be euil and to esteeme nothinge for euill but that which we hate although it be right perfect There came from Datia certeine souldiours to Rome whiche gaue foorth so peruerse and foule information againste Pertinax that presently the Emperour did suspende his office and discharged him of his stipende and that he shoulde serue one whole yeare at his owne proper costes in Illyria This imperiall commaundement being notified vnto Pertinax presently with greate patience he obeyed and departed vnto Illyria to perfourme his banishement with much constancie and they saye that he saide these words at his departing I am not grieued for the honour whereof they haue depriued mee either for the stipende which they haue taken from mee either of this exile whiche they haue sent mee but it grieueth mee that this commaundement shuld proceede from so good a Prince and I not hearde either he well infourmed because mine innocencie being knowen as shortly it shal be knowen the Emperour my Lord shal be noted of all men as a Prince of light beliefe and I shall obteine the credite and fame of a gentleman bothe sincere and patient And as Pertinax said so it succeded which is to wéete the Senate commaunding inquisition to be made and finding Pertinax frée and cleare from all matters wherof he was accused and manye thinges wherefore to be commaunded he was by publique sentence restored vnto his honour to his aduersaries was giuen the paine that he did and shoulde haue suffered although notwithstanding in short time after by his owne sute they were pardoned because Pertinax naturally was pittifull and not giuen to reuenge CHAP. II. ¶ Of the variable fortune that Pertinax did passe before he obteined the Empire THE emperour Marcus Aurelius helde Pertinax in reputation of a man both vertuous valiant silent of a noble minde and also fortunate but after he had by false report exiled him he helde him both for wise and of great patience considering howe mildly he endured so vniust banishment and afterwardes howe friendly he sued for his aduersaries In recompence of the iniurie whiche Marcus Aurelius the Emperour had done vnto Pertinax he made him Pretor of Datia and sent him ioyntly with his prouision the ensigne and did also constitute him capteine of the first legion that is to saye to haue the vauntgarde of the armie which in the warres is a matter of moste trust and also of honour in suche wise that where as his enimies had thought moste to haue confounded him from thence he receiued occasion to be most aduaunced The prouince of Noricus and Retius rebelled against the Romaines against whome the armies of Illyria were sent vnto whome they gaue aduertisement that they were readie to be reduced vnto the seruice of the Romaine Empire if the Pretor that presently did gouerne them were remoued and in his place they might obteine Pertinax for their Protector saying and affirming that they rebelled not to retire from the subiection of Rome but because their officers did oppresse them with cruell dealing Great ioye had the Emperour Marcus Aurelius when he vnderstood those prouinces to be reduced vnto his seruice but much more did he reioyce when he was aduertised howe instantly they craued Pertinax for the gouernement of that countrie vnto whome presently he sent both crauing and commaunding and to the ende that Pertinax shoulde accept his suite and condescende vnto his commaundement he sent him the ensigne and liuerie of Consulship Many dayes after that these matters had passed the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent for Pertinax which had béene absent sixtéene yeares and as he was in martial affaires famous so generally they came foorth into the stréetes of Rome to beholde him as it had béene some monster brought from the desertes of Aegypt and being arriued at Rome he was conducted by the Emperour Marcus Aurelius vnto the Senate and after all sortes and fashions was praised and honoured as an assured friende doeth vse to praise and honour his approued friende which was great noueltie in Rome that is to saye for one Prince to speake for another in the Senate for vnto such like Capteines as vnto Pertinax they did onely heare what they would saye but vsed not to aunswere any one woorde within the Senate Presently in the Kalendes of Ianuary next ensuing Pertinax was created Consul which the Emperour wished the Senate had not perfourmed to the ende he woulde haue made him Pretor principall because he estéemed him to be in possession of greate wisedome for gouernement of matters of the common wealth and very vpright to administer iustice The people inhabitant neare vnto Danubie did write vnto the Emperour Marcus Aurelius howe they were robbed lost and euil gouerned and that if Pertinax were not sent to gouerne that prouince er long the whole countrie would rebell which Marcus Aurelius vnderstanding framed and forced him to returne vnto Danubie and to the same ende he gaue him power and stipende so accomplished that he reserued vnto him selfe but onely the name of Emperour his Lord One yere after that Pertinax had gouerned Danubie the Senate sent him newe prouision for the gouernement of Datia by the occasion of the death of Cassius and that also he should vse the residence of the Pretor of Panonia in suche wise that there was no matter either in the inferiour or higher Almaine that by the handes of Pertinax was not gouerned and prouided Two yeares after the death of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius Pertinax was remoued from the gouernement of Germanie and assigned vnto Syria the gouernement whereof was the best the most honourable and also the moste profitable that was giuen by the Romanes for that it was not bestowed but vppon the moste auncient Consul or the moste valiant capteine or the moste graue Senatour or the ambassadour that hest had perfourmed his charge All the life of the good Emperour Marcus Aurelius Pertinax
in all his offices was founde to be verie wise verie iust seuere and no lesse sincere but after the good Emperour was dead he grewe negligent and also was noted with the blemishe of a nigarde and couetousnesse because from thenceforth he did rather imploye his forces to gather richesse then to gouerne the common wealth Of this notable example it may be inferred of that which euerye day we sée to chaunce which is that good Princes of euil men make good seruauntes and euil Princes of good men make euil seruauntes for that many times notwithstanding the seruaunt naturally be euil he doth endeuour and enforce him selfe to be good in respect of his maister which is good and so by the contrarie if the Prince be euil the seruaunt strayeth vnto euill although of his owne nature he be good Nowe Commodus being Emperour in Rome when Pertinax bribed and gathered money in Asia againste whome certeine people did rise and mutine exclaming that he helde them oppressed and robbed he was constrained thereby to retyre vnto Rome to escape their pretented practises to dispatche him of his life nothing displeasant vnto Commodus to the ende he might inherite his goods Pertinax being come to Rome and the tyraunt Perennius in those dayes gouerning the Empire and commaunding Commodus gaue him verie euill entertaynement and woorse conuersation not for that Pertinax had so deserued but the rather to giue him occasion to departe from Rome for that being as he was verie wise and of great iudgement valiant riche and also auncient he doubted to bée depriued by Pertinax from the fauour of Commodus Pertinax beholding the follies of Commodus the tyrannies of Perennius the losse and spoyle of the common wealth of Rome aduised to departe from thence and to goe vnto the countrie of Liguria separating him selfe to liue in a poore village where in times past his father had liued and kepte shoppe and buying that poore dwelling where his father had solde oyle fishe wine bread and other victualls buylt in the compasse thereof a stately buylding permitting the olde to remaine in the midest without any addition or diminishing thereof Pertinax excéedingly delighted to beholde that countrie wherein he had passed his life being but a childe and from whence he had departed so abiect and nowe returned with suche wealth and credite And being aduertised of the foale of the Asse whereon he had vsed to carrie wood to be aliue he bought it and did so vse féede it as it had béene some auncient seruaunt of great deseruing He there erected manye and solemne buyldinges bought great and many purchases gaue great summes of money vnto his kinred old friends and acquaintaunce and did so ioye to sée him selfe so riche where he had béene so poore and to obteine so great quietnesse after so muche trauaile that he saide and wrote vnto his friendes that if Princes had throughly tasted and knowen the rellishe of reposed rest of them selues and of their owne proper will they would abandon their Empires Pertinax being setled in quietnesse Commodus sent his commaundement that he shoulde departe into Britaine to execute the office of Pretor which he obeyed more for feare then of good will and presently began to reforme the armies whiche were in robberies verie absolute and of life no lesse dissolute And on a time a certeine mutinous legion made commotion not because they had contention amongest them selues but early to awake Pertinax to violate his life The matter fell out after this manner that Pertinax found him selfe in so great perill that all men thought he had béene slaine yet amongst the dead he escaped aliue notwithstanding cruelly wounded After these matters were pacified and Pertinax cured of his woundes hee so seriously chasticed that treason which they had conspired against him that he ministred matter to murmur at Rome and to bewaile in Britaine The Senate being aduertised what had passed betwixt the armie and Pertinax sent a suspense of and for his pretorian office and gaue him charge of prouision for victuals and munition whiche he woulde not accept but sued for his discharge to departe for that the armies helde him extreme and cruell and he of the armies had greate doubt and suspicion Pertinax being arriued at Rome founde that Perennius the tyraunt was nowe dead and Pertinax being a man of authoritie and grauitie a small time fell into the fauour of Commodus vnto whome he commended the prefecture or gouernement of the citie of Rome and succéeding Fussianus whoe vsed his office with great crueltie Pertinax obteined greate good liking of all the people who perfourmed his charge with no lesse mildnesse and pietie Commodus not contented that Pertinax had recouered so greate fauour in the common wealth and finding no occasion either to kill or banishe him aduised to discouer his euill will whiche he did beare him bothe in worde and déede that of him selfe he would séeke occasion to departe frō Rome who finding apt sure meanes to renounce his office retired vnto his owne proper house and countrie supposing neuer more to haue béene remoued from thence all the dayes of his life partely for that he perceiued howe Commodus sought occasions to take away his life and partly moued of olde age to repose the remnant of his dayes CHAP. III. ¶ What was saide and what he aunswered vnto those persons that offered him the Empire AFter that Martia Letus Electus and Narcissus had slaine the Emperour Commodus a greate parte of the night being passed and all persons in the palace being couched vnder the gouernement of profound sléepe Martia and her companions tooke the carkase of Commodus and wrapt it in an olde Seron wherein the slaues did beare out the ordure of the stable giuing them to vnderstande that it was a certeine vessel with a charge also to carrie it forth After the bodie was remoued out of the courte they laide it into a carre and conueyed it into a certeine village named Aristro where Commodus did vse to bathe and solace but on the next daye his death being published the Romanes pursued and although he were dead they cutt off his head and trailed his bodie throughout all the stréetes of Rome Martia Letus and Electus considering they had slaine Commodus and bestowed his carkase at their pleasure aduised amongest them selues to séeke out and to name an Emperour before daye shoulde come vppon them to the ende the Empire should haue an owner as also to haue defence vnder his protection and so it came to passe when the death of the one was manifested the election of the other was published the matter hapned after this manner Letus and Electus talkinge with them certeine of their especiall frindes departed streight vnto the house of Pertinax knocking at the gate to haue it opened with greate haste one of the sonnes of Pertinax beholding them to come armed at such an hour and with such hast was taken with so great feare that when he
remoue me perforce from that whiche I woulde haue lefte and remitted with greate good will. And if for that I haue beene ingrate vnto my mother Rome or haue vsed euill gouernement in the common wealth ye will take away my life then I cannot but confesse it to be a worke most iust albeit thereby I shoulde be pursued not onely with paine and griefe but also with infamie because suche a death yealdeth more paine and shame to deserue it then to suffer it And if ye thinke your selues disgraced to haue a Prince that is not descended of the Fabians of the Metells of the Fabritians or of some other notable Romanes in this case impute the fault vnto the Gods whiche so haue created me and vnto your selues who with such conditions woulde electe me Emperour because in naturall matters neither deserue we prayse for that we haue either reprehension for that whiche wee lacke It were more iust O my friendes and commilitants in this case to haue respecte not to the shadowe and vanitie of linage but vnto the vertue grauitie of the persō for it stretcheth vnto small purpose in good gouernemente to be descended of generous bloude and to bee of filthy life And if ye haue been altered for wante of pay of wages for the whole or in parte presently giue me to vnderstande and I sweare and promise that presently euerie man shall entirelie be paide whiche if it be so I am vtterly without faulte since vntill this present I neuer hearde thereof And seeing ye be gentlemen of greate power and Romanes of noble bloud ye haue to consider in this case that according vnto our lawes innocencie and ignorance of the fault mitigateth diminisheth the extremitie of punishmēt And if in case ye be escādalized for that ye see mee rigorous hard extreme that I am so reputed amongst the people as small reason haue ye in this case as in the rest because vniuersaly they craue that iustice be done and yet they abhorre the execution thereof And if ye would blame me for the death of Commodus my predecessour and your Lorde ye haue seene by experience howe muche I am blamelesse and that vnto mee more then to anie man his death was grienous and that this is true call to your remembrance the day on which Commodus was slaine where in I sawe you singe for ioy and of greate griefe ye sawe me to weepe You Romaines you may not denie mee but that the death of Commodus was of you all desired and my election of you all alowed and since it was so I maruell that men of so greate authoritie and grauitie should inuente so straunge a noueltie as this that is to say in so shorte space to hate that whiche ye procured and to haue an appetite to that which ye loathed I sweare by the immortall Gods I knowe not of anie vile deede which I haue don against the common wealthe wherefore ye should abhorre mee neither knowe I anie thinge that Commodus hath done since hee died wherefore ye shoulde loue and desire him for if we sighe for the dead it is not for their deedes done after that they died but for the good woorkes whiche they perfourmed when they were liuinge If for no other cause then to take away my life ye haue ioyned and armed all these men of warre certeinlie it is a thinge superfluous and vaine in as much as I am both sicke olde and with the burthen of the Empire so muche discontented and with my life so muche displeased I esteeme little to liue and much lesse to die It grieueth me not so muche to lose my life as it doth of the slaunder and infamie whiche ye lay vpon our mother Rome whiche is to say that the Romans which haue bene renowned for their loyaltie towardes their princes shoulde haue reporte throughout the worlde to haue slaine their Emperour Ye knowe that ye beeing as ye are men of warre and to no other ende so well payed and relieued of the tribute but to chastice suche as rebell in the common wealth and to defende the house and the imperiall persone of your prince and since it is thus what may be more vnseemlie impertinent and scandalous then suche as be admitted for my guarde and safetie that they and no other should come to take away my life And for as muche as ye be men of warre ye are bounde to obserue the lawes there of that is to say euen in the warrs of enimies yee may not or ought not to kill children or olde men and since I am an olde man and a citizen of Rome wherefore will yee do with mee that which yee will not do with an enimie In these wordes whiche ye haue saide in the disorder whiche ye haue vsed and in the houre wherin ye haue vndertaken this matter it clearely appeareth that to enterprise so greate a matter ye haue not vsed greate prouidence for if ye had considered and examined the matter ye shoulde moste certainlie haue founde that in your determination to kill mee there is no other fruite gathered but to raise in your mother Rome a greate scandal and to thruste your selues in great daunger And since one shall inherite the Empire and not all with what folly are you taken ye Romaines for ye al to hazarde and lose your selues for one mans gaine and yet knowe not if afterwardes that one man shall be gratefull or vnthankefull I may not flee that whiche the destinies haue ordayned either what ye haue determined but in case this be my last day and my fatall houre be come I pray the immortall Godes that the innocent bloude whiche shal be shead of me that the vengeance thereof fall not vpon my mother Rome but that euerie one of you doe feele it in his person and his house When Pertinax came to the pointe to speake these woordes for the moste parte al that were presente let fall teares from their eyes and beganne to departe turning their backes and holding downe their weapons because they had greate shame to offende and to wante reuerence vnto so honourable horie haires and to wordes so wel spoken He that moste vilelie had spoken against Pertinax he that most had moued the men of warre was one named Tuncius of the countrie of Theutonio this wretched caytiue whē he sawe that al men returned and had renounced to kill Pertinax he thrust a lance through the midest of his bodie with whiche wounde Pertinax fell to the earth and therevpon gaue him other woundes wherof he presentlie dyed Greate sorrowe was it vnto the people of Rome when they vnderstode that Pertinax was dead and hauing reigned but fourtéene moneths xx dayes he profited more the commonwealth thē others in fourtéene yeares The traytour Tuncius was not cōtented to haue slaine Pertinax but he also and his companions forgotte not to cute off his head to fixe it on a lance and to beare it through the stréets of Rome
giuen vnto the Romanes so many and so great triuÌ„phes there ought to be in them many very notable deseruings There be two things which cause the Romans to hold freÌ„dship with the gods to be lords of meÌ„ which is to wit great worshippers of temples and conseruers of people in iustice for that countrie where temples be not honoured and the wicked chastised may be better termed a den of theeues then a kingdome of good men Ye all vnderstand that be here present howe ye haue slaine the Emperour Pertinax a maÌ„ most surely both holy and most holy because the greatnes of the Empire being conferred with the sinceritie of his deseruing it had not beene much for him but rather a smal reward to haue beene Lord of the whole world In this deede ye haue offended the gods escandalized men committed treason vnto your Lord defamed your countrie troubled your common wealth and brought all Rome vnto confusion in such wise that your fault being so exceeding it may not deserue any parcialitie in punishment Now that ye haue slaine him is it as if ye had slaine Caligula Nero Sergius Vitellius DomitiaÌ„ or Commodê° no but Pertinax which was one of the princes most without repreheÌ„sion that euer reigned in the Romaine Empire As princes be few wilful so it is a venture to chance on such as be good so much the more deserue ye the greater paine as the good Pertinax was profitable vnto the common wealth Vnto whome shall Rome aduenture to commit her trust since they which were appointed for her guard haue set her a sale O treason neuer thought of Oh wickednes neuer heard of to kill the Emperour and to sell the Empire After the vassals haue slaine their Lord and the natiues of the countrie haue sold their common wealth I know not why the gods coÌ„maund not the ground to swallow you vp and presently put not fire into Rome to consume it for after so great an infamie Rome ought neuer more to be named in this world Who should haue said to Quintus Cincinatus Numa Pompilius Camillus Marcus Fabritius Mutius Scaeuola Silla Marius Scipio Iulius Caesar Augustus Germanicus who with great and many triumphes did both beautifie and magnifie Rome that ye should haue set Rome in open sale I firmely beleeue and am out of doubte that they would haue died of pure sorrowe or else would haue slaine your progenitours from whom ye are descended FroÌ„ the time I departed out of Germanie I came musing vppon the way what punishment I should giue you for of the one part if I suffer euery one of you with his life it redoundeth to the scandal of the common wealth and if I would take the same from you the paine is very smal in respecte of your extreme fault for vnto one that is euil they doe him no small benefite to rid him out of this world I coÌ„maund your noses to be slit your tongues to be boared your garments beneth the wast to be cut off and your beards halfe shauen yee shall liue without honour credite or libertie as slaues bondmen in the common wealth in such wise that ye shall not die as the good do vse to die to the end to liue but ye shal liue as the wicked do liue to the end to die Neither doe I suffer you to liue because ye deserue life but for that I will not staine my fame with your filthie bloud If in giuing you al death I might giue the good Pertinax his life not onely yours but also right willingly would I offer mine owne because there is no vent more iust then that one good life by the exchange of many wicked liues might be bought redemed If the gods would permit that at the houre I should coÌ„maunde ye to bee slaine ye should reuiue and recouer life a thousand times would I take away your liues because the horror of your offence deserueth a thousaÌ„d deathes but since losse of life in a momeÌ„t doth deliuer the malefactour of his scourge and torment and afterwardes no other meane remayning to take vengeaunce it is more iust that ye should liue euery day desiring death then that ye should die abhorring life There is nothing more iust then to kil him that killeth but I commaund not that ye be slaine although ye durst kill the good Pertinax and this I do not to the end to do no iustice either to doe you good or pleasure but for that many yeares ye shall haue time to bewaile your wretched life and his innocent death CHAP. V. ¶ Of thinges that he did in Rome presently after he was Emperour AFter that Seuerus had said and finished his speach and coÌ„demned and banished the murtherers of the Emperour Pertinax he determined to enter Rome and his receyuing was mixt with ioy and sorow because of the one part seing him so great a frend of iustice they reioyced and on the other part to sée him coÌ„passed with so great armies they feared him Presently vpon his entrie into Rome he visited the temples according to the custome of the Romane Emperours and there he offered no small but generous sumptuous sacrifices Although in his receyuing a great part of the day was spent and in visiting temples the rest was consumed and now wheÌ„ it was night he was requested of all men to take his ease and to withdrawe vnto his palace yet he would in no wise consent vntil he had visited the Sepulcher of the good Marcus Aurelius where he remained a great space vppon his knées and poured foorth many lamentable teares The next day he went vnto the high Capitol where all the Senate was assembled and there he spake vnto all the Senatours Consuls and all other Romane officers to whome he said many good words and gaue them great hope of many rewards All the people of Rome were astonied terrified to behold the great audacitie and fortune of Seuerus which procéeded of consideration howe without daunger and lesse trauell hée obteyned the Empire for that he gat it not by sheding others bloud neither by the exchange of his owne proper goodes The first day that Seuerus spake in the Senate he made a solemne vow before them all Neuer to kill any Romane if he were not iudged by iustice or to take the goods of any person if by the fiscal he were not condemned If it had béene found in Seuerus workes which hée sware that day in wordes namely that they might not accuse him of crueltie either note him of couetousnes it had béene a great weale for the Romane Empire for there is nothing wherwith princes doe more destroy their common wealthes and also staine their persons then to bee giuen to reuenge their owne proper iniuries and couetous of other mens goodes Forthwith at his beginning Seuerus did shew himselfe milde benigne pitifull liberall valiant harted affable gratious and humaine imbracing his familiars ioying and laughing with straungers in such wise that
persons and beastes were there daungered also lost and their victualls all caste and carried away By time that shoulde do the deede and the sorrowfull destinies of Pessenius that shoulde conduct the same it chaunced vpon the thirde day after the snowe had fallen the sunne did shine with as hote a glome as in the heate of summer wherwith all the snowe being throughly thawed the violence of most furious waters that descended the hil ouerthrewe and carried away all bulworkes and rampiers that Pessenius had made in that mountaine in such wise that nature framed in one houre that Art might not bring to passe in many dayes that is to say the snowe draue away the people and soone opened the way When the Seuerian armies founde that Pessenius souldiours had forsaken the mounte Taurus and the thawed snowe had opened their way they not onely recouered greate courage but also presumed to haue obtained diuine fauour saying that Seuerus did gouerne them but that the Godds did guide them Vpon the fifte day after the snowe Seuerus souldiours mounted vpon the toppe of Taurus al the snowe beeing thawed and gonne and trackes and wayes beeing dried vp in euery place they founde deade men drowned beastes broken armour and victualls scattered in the viewe whereof they tooke no small pleasure because they had nowe set their feete where before they imployed but their eyes Pessenius being aduertised howe his souldiours had forsaken the mounte Taurus departed with all his hoste from Antioche toke the way vnto Sicyl the multitude of people that hee ledde with him was maruelous and terrible to beholde and yet truly notwithstanding more fearefull in viewe then in fight for admitting they were many younge men well armed yet they were more accustomed to haue peace with vices then warr with enimies Seuerus with his armies Pessenius with his hostes incountred in Sicyl not a league one from an other hauing betwixt them a greate plaine which was named by the men of the country the field of Ysico where was giuen the laste and most famous battel betwixt Alexander and Darius in which the great king Darius was ouercōe and the great Alexander remained monarche of the world In memory of which notable battell there is situated at these dayes the renowmed citie of Alexandria wherein there is is a picture of brasse so naturall a counterfeite of Alexander that to beholde doth partly terrifie and also giueth motion of great reuerence Two dayes after these princes came to this place with conformitie they determined to giue the battell since either of thē had ioyned their whole powers with the presence of their proper persones vntill which time betwixt them there was but small difference for that either of them had greate hope to haue the victorie The night before they fought Seuerus Pessenius were both sadde and their armies in greate watch for as the fatall houre of fight drewe neare although their generous hartes gaue them hope to ouercome their mortal bodies did feare to die At the breake of the day al the captaines made ready to the battell continually two houres before the charge both of the one parte and the other they played vpō instrumētes of musicke which with their melody did yealde such dolefulnesse that exactly it discouered the sorrowfull successe that shoulde followe in that cruell battell The hostes béeing ioyned the one with the other there was trauersed betwixt thē so cruel a fight of euery parte so traueled to obtaine the victory that the day ended the battell not finished That battell was so bloudie wounded of both partes so much contended that within the compasse of two leagues there was not iii. foote of ground that was not couered with mans bloude If the two armies were valiant in fighting surely the two princes their lordes were no cowardes but in the ende when night was come the Pessenians turned their backes the whole conclusion was that Pessenius fledde wounded and Seuerus remained lorde of that field Vpon an horse of greate swiftnesse accompanied with fewe persons Pessenius tooke the way vnto Antioche as the enimies did pursue him at the doore of a poore cottage where he neither had time to rest either place to hide him selfe but groueling vpon his breastes drinking with a pitcher at a blowe his enimies cutte off his head This was the sorrowfull end of Pessenius Niger vpon whose sepulture they placed this Epitaph Here lieth Pessenius Niger an auncient Romane whiche in merite was equall with the vertuous but in misfortunes exceeded the most vnfortunate When Seuerus sawe him selfe aduaunced to so great victorie and that in all Asia there was not one launce in the Rest against him he procured to seaze vpon al principall persons that had escaped from the campe of Pessenius and commaunded not onely to kill them all but also to execute them with greate tormentes Many were founde in the campe of Pessenius whiche did followe him against their willes whome also Seuerus commaunded to be slaine as the rest whiche in déede was rather the acte of a cruell tyrante then a vertuous prince Seuerus had with him the mother and the sonnes of Pessenius whome he sente both mother and sonnes banished vnto an Islande All thinges set in order that were conueniente for the prouision of the good gouernement of Asia Seuerus moued talke amongst his moste familiar friendes for the conquest of the kinge of Parthia and the kinge of Thebes not because they helde him as an enimie but for that they were friendes vnto his enimie Pessenius Seuerus friendes did counsell him that by no meanes he should publish any intente of warre againste the kinge of Parthians or the kinge of Thebanes for the notwithstanding Pessenius was dead in the East Albinius was aliue in the kingdomes of the Weste and that hee was not so sure of the Empire but that it were better counsell for him to seeke newe friends then to awake olde enimies Seuerus dealt cruelly with the inhabitants of Antioche because they had receiued and obeyed his enimie Pessenius and with them did not onely vse iniurious wordes but also did discharge them of al their auncient liberties He slewe all the Senatours of Rome that is to say suche as folowed Pessenius and tooke the name of captaines and Tribunes of other persones he slewe but one and woulde neuer say wherfore but he alone and none other was put to death CHAP. IX Of the Consul Albinius and howe he rebelled against Seuerus being in Englande AMongest the moste extreme young gentlemen that were bred in the house of the good Marcus Aurelius were three which in those dayes were placed for captains in the most famous and daungerous places of the empire that is to say Seuerus in Illyria Pessenius in Asia Albinius in greate Britaine Their Lorde Marcus Aurelius had brought them vp so expert in science so accustomed to vertues so readie in armes so skilfull in
which they had gathered togeather Seuerus slewe some with some reason others vpon smal occasion but all these which followe he killed without all reason or occasion that is to say Munius Sellius Claudius Bitalius Papianius Elius Iulius Lolius Aurelius Antoninus Posthumius Sergius Fabius Nenius Amussius Casperius Seyonius Sulpitianus Coceyus Eructus Assilonius Claudius Honoratus Petronius Pessenius Cestus Aurelianus Materius Iulianus Albinius Cerelius Faustinianus Herenius Valerius Nobius Arabianus Marcus Fabatus These men were glorious both of bloud also for noble déedes riches for they were either Consuls Censors Pretors Senatours Ediles Tribunes or capteines whose goods he imployed not vnto the publique treasurie but did incorporate vnto his patrimonie for him selfe to inioy the dayes of his own life to leaue vnto his children after his death Seuerus defamed Cincius an auncient Consul affirming that he had procured poyson to kill him wherfore he commaunded him to be slaine but the trueth being knowen as Seuerus afterward reported but the Cincius did much delight to goe on hunting had a fine yeark to kill the Bore other venerie in the mountaines He commaunded also Narcissus to be cast vnto the Lyons who at the request of Martia choked Commodus it was nothing to commaund them to be slaine but that with his owne eyes he would behold them executed which was wont to be so straunge vnto Romaine princes that they neuer vsed to sée any person put to deth neither so much as in the citie to be resident but they vsed if any suffered to ride or go foorth on hunting CHAP. XIII ¶ Howe Seuerus returned into Asia and conquered many prouinces AFter that Seuerus had conquered and slaine thrée Emperours that is to saye Iulianus in Rome Niger in Asia and Albinius in Fraunce it séemed vnto him that since he had chasticed and triumphed ouer the Romans he ought also to make his name glorious amongest the Barbarians because all the warres that he helde vnto that daye were more to make him selfe Lorde of the common wealth then to magnifie his name Seuerus aduised him selfe to go in his owne person to make warres with the Parthians the occasion of which enterprise was for that the king of Atrenoes had fauoured the parcialitie of Niger but had deferred the reuengement thereof to make conquest of Albinius being in great Britain If Seuerus in this case had taken the opinion of the people either the counsell of the Senate he woulde neither haue taken those warres in hande or made accompt of the iniurie because at that time those kingdomes were neither friendes or foes with Rome And as the Romans were fatigated tyred with warres so they were contented for the time to ceasse the recouering of them for their vassals to obtein them for quiet enimies Seuerus departed vnto Asia and in the way would first take the kingdōe of the higher Armenia whereof the king of Armenia being aduertised and that he came with an armie of so greate power and so determined to take his kingdome met him vppon the way not armed as a man of warre but clad with the garments of peace his truce being set downe with Seuerus presently he gaue him much money and offered to sende him succour for the accomplishment wherof he deliuered vnto Seuerus his two sonnes in pledge Seuerus did not onely confirme him in his kingdome but also tooke him vnder his protection The affaires of Armenia being dispatched Seuerus departed towardes the kingdom of Hosdroenos whose king was named Anguaro bothe crooked and same but yet no foole for he had such skill to recouer the good will of Seuerus that he neither admitted him as a vassall tooke no money demaunded no hostages or did his countrie hurt but receiued him to his familiar friendship and made him a confederate with the people of Rome Hauing passed the kingdome of Hosdroenos Seuerus entred the landes and countries of Albanos and being then the moneth of April and spring time he founde the fieldes full of flowers and grasse and commaunded his horsses for the space of fiftéen dayes to be fedde and his armie to be recreated and refreshed because his horsses were growen leane and his men tyred Seuerus beeing departed from the fieldes of Albanos entred the countrie of Arabia Felix where they found that which they found not in all the kingdomes of the worlde namely the trées that hare the precious Aromatike spices and the boughes whereof they gathered the most fine and excellent baulme Seuerus sacked all the townes of Arabia Felix cut downe their fieldes spoyled and oppressed all people and as he afterwardes saide he would not haue entred therein for that being as it was so riche so ioyfull pleasant and delectable but because he found him selfe in greate cumber to withdrawe his souldiours from thence for that they felt them selues more delighted with the vices of Arabia then with the hazardes and daungers of the warres Hauing passed the delectable countrie of Arabia Felix Seuerus entred the countrie and kingdom of Athrabanos against whose king principally he made that iourney Athras was a great citie situated vpon the top of a most high hill and chiefest citie of all the kingdome and for that cause was named the kingdome of Athrabanos Seuerus went presently to the siege thereof but as the king had inclosed him selfe therein with great readinesse and prouision the wall being strong the citie rockye the people warrelike and furnished with munition and victuals small was the hurte that Seuerus did vnto them within but which the Romans receiued was very greate And as Seuerus gaue foorth no other bruite when he came from Rome but to be reuenged of the Athrabanos he perfourmed that warre so exactly that there was no daye but he battered the citie of Athras and occupied his warlike engins deuised and practised all manner fights and offences that might be against the enimie and the moste notified Romans that there did not notifie them selues but in the ende might neither take the same either as much as a capteine or ouerthrow one windowe Those that were besieged within that citie to iest with their enimies tyed very subtily little earthen pottes vnto a kinde of byrdes like vnto Crowes which flying ouer the armies of Seuerus let fall their pottes vpon their pates by which iest many had their heades broken but much more were the Romans despighted to consider howe little they did estéeme them not fighting with them in armour but with pottes and tankardes The ayre of that mountaine was verie subtile the waters verie thinne fruites in great aboundaunce and the Sunne verie hoat and the grounde somewhat moyst by which occasion Seuerus his whole campe fell into the disease of the fluxe and there died amongest the rest seuen notable capteines two of Seuerus cousins and a little bastarde sonne which all men likewise thought to be his cousin but by his greate sorrowe teares he discouered the childe to be of his owne proper fleshe
stopt with multitudes of people he began by force to make his way and teare and treade the people who made resistance for their safetie adding thereunto woordes ouer furious as people passioned And as the Emperour then being placed in the same chariot although they said no word to his offence he receiued the cochemans iniurie as his owne presently cōmaunding al his Pretorians which there did guard his person to make slaughter at their libertie And as al persons there present were more deckt and trimmed for the feast then armed either in redinesse for battel so great cōpassion was it to behold the multitudes of people that died there without any offence and sheading of bloud of so many innocentes for if tenne or twelue had offended they were more then 15. thousād that were there executed The Romanes did neither eate drincke sléepe or doe any thing but with great trembling not doubting when they should be accused but when Bassianus shoulde commaunde them to be slaine for neuer tyrant did execute that which he ordinarily perfourmed in Rome which is to wéete without any accusement of fiscall or complaint of enimie or wante of seruice to commaunde any man to be slaine CHAP. VIII Of the prouinces whiche Bassianus did trauell and the thinges which he did therein AFter that Bassianus had slaine his brother Geta and his enimies as also manie of his friendes and infinite others that were neither friends nor foes he departed from Rome iourneying towardes Germanie whiche nowe is named high Almaine with determination to visite those Prouinces and to refourme his armies whiche by continuance of peace were growne to greate negligence in matters of warre A whole summer hee lodged neare vnto the riuer of Danubie where he exercised hunting fishing playing running torneying and sometimes sate in iudgmente and a matter wherein he made all men to woonder was that in hearing anie cause at the instant he gaue sentence wherein he neuer erred and also iudgmente according to iustice He had greate delectatiō of that countrie and the people of the same makinge choyce of the valiauntest and gallantest personages of the youthe of Germanie for the guarde of his person The prouinces adioyning vnto Danubie being set in order he passed into Thracia and from thence into the lande of Macedonia with determinatiō to visite the natiue countrie of Alexander the greate All thinges wherein the actes of Alexander were grauen or painted hee repaired renewed and made better manie other thinges he did both adde and inuente in such wise that in al the kingdome of Macedonie there was neither citie or temple where he did not erecte some edifice or place some picture or counterfeite Bassianus perfourmed manie notable things in Macedonia right worthy praise and some other thinges no lesse to be derided because in manie places he caused a bodie with two heads to be painted and also grauen whereof one he intituled vnto him selfe and the other vnto Alexander The Macedonians did not a little scorne this acte that Bassianus woulde compare with the greate Alexander for they estéemed their kinge in suche possession and estate that they say and affirme neither anie in this life to be equall vnto him either in the other worlde surmoūted of none of the Gods. Bassianus grewe so proude when he sawe him self so generally praysed for his woorthy actes done in Macedonia that he cōmaunded al his househoulde not to call hym Bassianus but Alexander and commaūded al the captains of his armie to intitule thē selues with the names of Alexanders auncient captaines whereof the Romanes receiued no small griefe and al the aunciente seruaunts of his father were not a little disgraced for it séemed vnto them that since he did not trust them with the garde of his person he woulde not loue them either deale with them according vnto his accustomed manner Hee woulde ofte put off all his Romaine apparrell and cladde him selfe after the Flemmish fashion and further the more aptly to resemble them he woulde weare counterfeite red haire and howe muche the more he vsed these thinges so muche the greater was the griefe vnto the Romaines Also he obserued a custome both in eating and drinking in his apparrell and seruice as in all other trauels which all wayes followe the warres but as a common souldiour It happened manie times that if a trench were to be made he firste woulde digge carrie forth earth marche on foote grinde breade corne for his owne diet and bake it vnder the asshes Hee delighted in base lodging to resemble the common soldiour and woulde not drinke in golde or siluer but in woodden tankards finally he did not onely abhorre all thinges that séemed superfluous but also manie times that which was right necessarie Hee commaunded also that none shoulde attende him except he were commaunded or call him Emperour but companion all whiche hee did to obtaine their loue and to seeme admirable in his trauels He commaunded his armie to be diuided into three partes and the one to be called Macedonike the other Laconike and the thirde Spartanike in memorie of three famous prouinces of Grecia whiche folowed the greate Alexander in all his wars and the people which he estéemed most valiaunt and warlike From Macedonie hee tooke his way vnto Pergamus a famous citie in Asia to viewe the temple of Esculapius the father and founder of physicke in which temple he slept manie nights and as he afterwardes saide receiued there manie aunswers of the God Esculapius many coūsels as well for conseruation of his health as the gouernemente of his cōmō wealth From Pergamus Bassianus departed to the citie Ilion that in times paste had beene head of the kingdome of Troy where greate warres were long continued betwixt the Greekes and the Troyans whiche hee founde not onelie destroyed but also plowed and sowen Bassianus did there greately desire to burie some persone after the fashion as in times past they had buried Patroclus and for accomplishment of his desire he commaunded poyson to be giuen vnto Festus his priuate and fauoured seruaunt whome after he was deade he buried there according to the fashion whiche the Troyans vsed with Patroclus whiche fact of his some excuse affirming that Festus died without Bassianus his commaundemente Before that Bassianus entred high Almaine he would visite Gallia Transalpina after a fewe dayes of his entraunce therin commaunded the Proconsul of Narbona to be slaine of which déede as also of others which he executed he fel into the hatred of that cōmō people deserued the name of a tyrant In his nauigatiō frō Germanie into Asia he foūd him self in so great danger that the ship it selfe wherin he sailed did rent sinke he escaped in a litle barke He was strikē with so greate feare on sea that after he had escaped that daunger he woulde oftentimes say I knowe not what man hauing breade to eate and garments to weare and couer him selfe on lande woulde to become an
heare thereof and woulde ofte say vnto me that manie kinges and kingdomes he had seene lost by mariage in straunge countries and therefore woulde not marrie me but within his owne kingdome and saide at the houre of his death that if I woulde liue manie yeares in peace I shoulde not abandon my children to straunge marriages I had three sonnes whiche nowe bee all deade and there remaineth vnto me but only one daughter in whome remaineth all my hope and if the Gods would and my destinies permitte I woulde giue her an husbande within mine owne naturall countrie whome I might esteeme as my sonne and he me as his father for my intent is not to giue her an husband that hath much goods but in his person greate worthinesse To that which thou sayest of the kingdoms of Parthians the Empire of Romanes would do verie wel to be ioyned in one thou hast great reason in that which thou sayest if it might be done with as great facilitie as it is spoken but how is it possible they may be made one being as they are so strange in nation so distant in situation so distinct in language so diuers in lawes and aboue all the reste so contrarie in conditions Since betwixt you and vs there are so manie landes countries nations hills and seas howe is it possible the bodies beeing so distante that the harts may be vnited Wee are much better knowne vnto the Godds then wee knowe our selues and since they haue created vs and separated vs the one from the other howe is it possible for vs to liue and enioy together for by greate diligence that men may vse either power that princes may practise it is impossible for them to scatter that whiche the Godds do gather together or to ioyne that whiche they do separate If thou wilte haue men for thy warres I wil sende them If thou wilt haue money to inrich thy treasure I will furnishe thee If thou wilt enter peace with mee I will graunte it If thou wilte that wee be brothers in armes by othe I will confirme it Finally I excepte nothing betwixte thee and mee but that thou do not craue my daughter to wife I am determined wil not for giuing my daughter a good marriage leaue my countrie tributarie vnto straunge people The precious iuells and greate riches which thou sentest me I haue receiued with greate good will and I sende thee others although not such either so riche neuerthelesse thou mayest alwayes cōceiue by them that the kinges of the Parthians haue greate treasures in their keeping and no lesse noblenesse of minde to spende them No more but the Goddes be thy defence and that thou of me and I of thee may see good fortune CHAP. XII Howe Bassianus committed a greate treason against the Parthians THis letter being receiued by Bassianus he made semblance of greate sorrowe that the kinge of Parthians would not giue him his daughter to wife howbeit he ceased not therefore eftsones to write sende more presents to bringe to passe by importunities that which of will he might not frame Arthabanus considering the importunities of Bassianus in writinge and his largesse in sending more riche iuells not doubting that anie guile might be concealed in that marriage did yealde him selfe vnto the iudgmente of his friendes who counselled him that hee shoulde not in anie wise but accept the Emperour of Romaines for his sonne in lawe for it might be that hee shoulde recouer him for an enimie that would not accept him for a sonne The fame beeing spread throughout all Asia that the kinges daughter shoulde marrie with the Emperour of Rome Bassianus aduised to repaire and prepare with all speede so that in all cities of the Parthians where he passed they did not only not resiste him but with greate ioy did receiue and feast him for they helde it for greate vaine glorie to sée their princesse demaunded for wife by the great Emperour of Rome In all places where Bassianus passed he offered riche sacrifices in their temples and gaue greate rewardes vnto suche as did attende and receiue him all whiche he dissembled to escape suspicion of the exceeding malice whiche he determined to execute Bassianus beeing arriued at the greate citie Parthinia where most times the greate kinge of Parthians was residente Arthabanus issued foorth to receiue his sonne Bassianus who most truly ranne foorth as cōformable vnto peace as Bassianus readie and determined for the warres There issued foorth with kinge Arthabanus not only the noble and valiaunt personages of his house and courte but also all the men of power and wealth of his kingdome which against that day were called and did attende in such wise that by his traine the kinge discouered his valure as also the noblenesse of his people Nowe when the Parthians beganne to ioyne with the Romaines and of both partes greate courtesies offered Bassianus gaue a signe vnto his armed knights to giue a charge vpon the Parthians vpon whome they executed as greate a slaughter as Hanibal at Canasse and Scipio at Carthage The kinge Arthabanus as he came in the troupe of all his royaltie tooke his seruaunts horse and gaue him selfe to flight and then as it was night his horse verie swift he had leasure to escape with his life although not able to defende his countrie This beeing donne he sackt the royall palace and al the citie and after commaunded fire to be giuen to all partes thereof whiche he perfourmed in all cities where he passed all the time that he remained in Parthia and freely gaue licence vnto his armie to take what they might to kill whome they would This was the manner that Bassianus vsed to subdue the Parthians whiche conquest with more reason may be termed the inuention of a traytour then the conquest of an Emperour for the innocente Parthians were rather solde then ouercome At the presente when these thinges passed Bassianus did write vnto the Senate aduertisinge them that hee had subdued all prouinces and kingdomes of the Easte vnto the Romaine Empire some by force and others by good will and that allthough the Romane princes his predecessours did excéede him in yeares and riches yet not to be comparable vnto him in victories The Senate béeing ignorante of the greate treason of Bassianus practised against the Parthians because they receiued his letters before anie other messenger had made reporte thereof were verie ioyfull and made greate feastes in Rome placeing his counterfeit vpon all the gates of the citie but after they vnderstoode the trueth of the treason committed they were so muche grieued with that so vile a deede that if the Parthians did suffer the Romanes did bewayle CHAP. XIIII How Bassianus was slaine by the commaundemente of his priuate captaine Macrinus THe Emperour Bassianus beeing departed from the territories of Parthia came vnto the prouince of Mesopotamia which was in the moneth of October and beeinge full of woodes wherin were
wherein the Romane Princes alwayes vsed greate measure and consideration for that curtesie costeth little and profiteth much The money which Macrinus receiued of his rents or were presented him from the cities he consumed them all in vices and on the other parte he woulde neither paye what he owed or succour his men of warre in suche wise that the people stoode in despaire and the armies for want of paye no lesse despighted The Romanes were afflicted with no small griefe to beholde the tyraunt Macrinus in all his déedes and attempts and to sée howe the Asians despised him for they frankely saide that he did not inherite but they did electe him Emperour and their fact to be imputed with greater indignitie that had chosen a person of so great vnworthinesse In his apparell in his diet and in all his manners and fashions Macrinus would néedes imitate not the Romanes but the Asians which the Romanes receiued with great griefe and the Asians with no lesse ignominie for that so euil a person would néedes resemble thē For so muche as there were no warres in Asia or in all the East either by Sea or lande the Romane armies would haue returned to Rome but Macrinus would not consent doubting as they were discontented that they should ioyne with the Senate and determine to depose him from the Empire Macrinus was muche blamed for that he stayed to go to Rome and much more for want of pay vnto his men of warre for that many times more hurt redoundeth to Princes by holding their armies discontented then to encounter their armed enimies In very short space Macrinus had recouered mortall hatred of his armies of the one parte to be so absolute a tyraunt and on the other parte to be in vice so dissolute and also so much puffed vp with pride for that he séemed to extoll himselfe by commaunding and loathed and despighted with suites of his subiectes Macrinus was a man of a lowe stature quarellous ambitious and also couetous but ioyntly herewith he was valiant in the field and yet woulde séeke great meanes to liue in peace notwithstāding all these conditions both good and euil they woulde neuer haue taken away his life and Empire if he had not béene nummed with the vices of Asia CHAP. III. ¶ Howe the great matrone Mesia bought the Empire for her nephue Heliogabalus IN the time that Macrinus was resident in Antioche the Romane hosts were in defence of the prouince of Phoenicia because in that yere that coūtrie did abound in grain for bread and the people also were not fatigate or spent with warres Wée haue said how in that countrie there was a temple dedicated vnto the God Heliogabalus which in buildings was verie magnificent and of priests much populated Many Romane captaines went many times to visite that temple some to sée some to pray and some to offer sacrifices for that naturally the Romanes presumed to be great worshipers of their gods and to hold their tēples in singular reuerēce Ther was in those daies in those temples two young priestes first cousins one of whiche was named Heliogabalus and the other Alexius these yong men in their vestments which they did weare and in their life which they did leade were iudged to bée priestes one the other part they well séemed by their grauitie to bée the sonnes of princes The matrone Mesia was so discreet secret and aduised that the children being of the age of fiftéene yeres neither them selues or any other for them did either knowe or suspect who were their fathers either who their grandmother but that shée sayd vnto all men that those children were orphans and sonnes vnto her auncient seruaunts When Macrinus did tyrannize the empire amongst other errors which hee committed hée banished the famous matrone Mesia from the courte not for that hee did so much as suspect her of any euill but béeing therunto vrged by his vile inclination for that all princes his predecessors estéemed her as a mother and honored her as a ladie of great souereigntie In the courte of eight emperours by the space of 53. yeres the great matrone Mesia had béene resident with all which shée vttered of her selfe so great valure and yealded such estimation of her person and also of them recouered so great gaine that when Macrinus did reiect her from the court she had more riches in her exile thē Macrinus might finde in the whole empire The matrone Mesia departed vnto Phoenicia where her two nephues remained namely Heliogabalus and Alexius and as there remained manie Romane gentlemen euill payed and worse pleased so they ioyned with Mesia and Mesia with them to talke and murmur howe Macrinus had slaine by treason his lorde the Emperour Bassianus and made hauock of the Empire common wealth whiche matter was moued amongst persons that had desired to remoue this mischief and on the tyrante also to take vengeance The matrone Mesia receiued excéeding ioy to heare with her owne eares and see with her eyes howe all the armie was bente against the tyrant Macrinus and their greatest care was to finde a man sufficient and of merite meete for the Empire because the Romanes stoode with him in great and cruel hatred for want of pay and the matrone Mesia no lesse grieued with her exile The matrone Mesia beholding her selfe in so good apt assembly to make her nephue Heliogabalus Romane Emperour called in great secrecie sixe Romane captaines of the chiefest of the armie all which were of great authoritie and no lesse grauitie Vnto these sixe captaines Mesia sayd in secrete howe her nephue Heliogabalus was sonne vnto the Emperour Bassianus and Semiamira her daughter and that shée had helde him hidden in Asia for doubt of the Empresse Iulia who had she knowne it would haue slaine the childe and banished the mother Mesia was not only satisfied to say certifie these vi captaines that the Emperour Bassianus most truely was father vnto that younge man and nephue vnto her selfe but ioyntly therewith she brought them into her chamber and discouered vnto them an huge masse of golde siluer whiche she promised and sware vpon the altars of the temple to distribute totally vpon the armie if they woulde giue the Romaine Empire vnto her nephue Vnto these sixe captaines to whome the matrone Mesia had committed this secreate and discouered this treasure shee both promised and sware to bringe to passe with her nephue Heliogabalus that he shoulde giue them the moste honourable offices in all the Empire if in case they shoulde vse the meane to make him Emperour in so muche that if other men were payed and recompenced they shoulde remaine both remunerated and honoured Greate wisdome was vsed by the matrone Mesia in this matter of so greate importance especially in the choyce of so honourable captaines whose credite was sufficient to frame the whole armie to perfourme the same Of this example princes and greate potentates may collecte that in anie affaires there is
ruled their families for he vsed oft to say that the man which knewe not to gouerne his wife to prouide for his house and direct his familie the prince might not cōmit a greater follie then to place such a one in the gouernment of the cōmon wealth In Rome they were named Milites veterani that long time had serued in warres and were withdrawen vnto their houses these were mainteyned at the charges of the common wealth and priuileged for apparance before a Iudge and as Alexander was infourmed of their licentious and vicious liues he commaunded them to be banished Rome and no more to be mainteyned by the common wealth When he signed the sentence of their exile with his owne hands he added these words It is as iust that the vicious and wicked frō a free man be conuerted to a slaue as the vertuous from a bond man to be made free for where there is corruption of manners liberties haue no place Most truely these wordes were spoken as of a prince right worthie veneration Also he visited the officers of the common treasurie as if we should say the Auditors and others that had charge of the goods of the kingdome amongest whome hée found many bribers and néedelesse officers those hée commaunded to be punished and these to be disfranchised Alexander was greatly affectionate vnto the affayres of the common wealth with which zeale he vsed so great diligence that the goodes of the common wealthe were recouered gotten againe from the handes of robbers and spent and imployed in matters profitable for it was his opinion the Good princes ought not to consent that vagabounds should liue of the entrails of the people He wrote vnto all prouinces that in all ciuil causes Iudges should procéede according to the order and right therof théeues matters of felonie excepted who within thrée dayes after their apprehension should either be punished executed made slaues for the seruice of men or condemned to cōmon works for publique profite and for no cause to let them escape for as he oft said Neuer mā which had made a proofe in the knowledge of thefte vntill his death might at any time depart from so foule a vice He also visited the officers that had the charge of pay for the men of warre against whome he receiued accusations for payment of euil monie imbezeling of payes reckoning the dead with the liuing and valuing their victuals more then they were woorthe whome Alexander commaunded openly to be whipt and for euermore to be banished He established by publique edicte that whosoeuer should aduenture from thencefoorth to steale or imbezill any paiment due for matters of warre should for the same loose his life All thinges which he had to commaunde or prouide in the common wealth hée did first communicate with such persons as hee thought to haue knowledge and experience thereof and his manner was to say that in following his owne proper iudgment he had neuer but tedious successe but by repayring vnto other mens aduise hee alwayes gathered some fruite Hée held in his house many and very notable persons of whome alwayes hée was accompanied but amongest al whome he best loued and did most commend his secréetes was Vlpianus this Vlpianus besides his great learning was a man so vertuous that Alexander would oft say hée had rather aduenture the committing of some odious déede before the Gods then speake a foule woorde in presence of Vlpianus His predecessour Heliogabalus had ordeyned many lawes in the fauour of the fiscall to the greate preiudice of the people for admitting that goods were augmented yet on the other parte the common wealth daily diminished for which cause Alexander commaunded that all those lawes should be reuiewed considered and refourmed for as he vsed to saye it were more commodious for the Prince which is no tyrant that his cōmon wealth be riche and his house poore then the common wealth to be poore and his house riche When he beganne to reigne the people were abandoned to dissolute manners for which cause he made some rigorous lawes and other milde and pittifull but when he commaunded them to be proclaimed openly he gaue aduertisement vnto his ministers to execute them in secrete Consider not so much what I commaund you as the intent wherewith I commaund you which is to weete that rigorous lawes are not but to terrifie but lawes which are pitifull to be executed because we make not lawes to take away mennes liues but to roote and weede vices out of our common wealthes When the Senatours did sitt in graue affaires he was not contented that they should saye their opinions by woorde but by writing neither was he yet satisfyed that they should set it down in writing but adde also therunto the reasons which moued them to that their opinion saying he did it to this ende that none should aduenture to yeld his opinion either forced with affection or corrupted with passion but as reason and vertue should direct him Naturally he was an enimie vnto lyes and lyers and if any man presumed to lye in his presence he receiued thereof as great despight as though he had done him an iniurie He woulde oft saye that good Princes haue to esteeme such for greater enimies that deceiue them with flattering and lyes then such as do intrude vppon their countries for the one taketh not but of his goods but the other robbeth him of his fame At all times when they had talk of the election of any Senatour or Iudge he was alwayes hearde to speake these woordes in the Senate If as nowe being present with men I were in presence of the Gods I would craue their opinions in the electiō of Senatours and Iudges for that the choice of gouernours in a common wealth doth more seeme diuine then humaine election CHAP. IIII. ¶ Of the milde conditions of Alexander and of his gratefull conuersation ALexander was friendly vnto his seruaunts whome he would visite indifferently in their sicknesse that is to wéete as well the meaner as the more fauoured and in repayment of such his visitation he woulde request them to giue him aduertisement what was saide of him in the common wealth and if they saide vnto him any thinge more worthie amendement then praise he gaue them as greate thankes for that aduise as at another time he vsed to giue for any greate and notable seruice The Consul Vncoiasson on a certeine time in great secrete saide vnto Alexander I am not a little astonnied at thee moste serene Prince that doest permitt thy selfe to bee gouerned of thy graundmother Mesia thy mother Manea and thy wife Meania who haue framed thy conditions so milde that thereby thou doest impaire the estimation both of thy person and also of thine Empire for that a base and ouerfamiliar condition leadeth vnto cōtempt Vnto this Alexander aunswered I owe reuerence vnto my graundemother because shee nourished mee vnto my mother for that shee bred mee vnto my
Alexander The case was thus that Maximius being in the fields teaching certaine yonge men to play at weapons the confederate traytours came vnto him and taking Maximius amongest them apparelled him with the robe and ensigne of the Empire who being ignoraunt of their intent and supposing it to be done in ieast vsed some resistance But when Maximius perceiued his promotion to be no matter of iest he determined to kill the true Emperour in earnest wherof Alexander all carelesse in his tente being aduertised began to chaunge countenance as one sore abashed and his mother also to fall a wéeping The generous and valiant gentlemen that Alexander had with him hee did request and persuade to resist the traitour Maximius and as good vassals frends in this case to liue and die with him which they all promised but afterwards obserued not The next day early in the morning it was said vnto Alexander that Maximius came accompanied with all the armie whereuppon Alexander demaunding armour to issue forth to fight there was not one mā found that would follow for that all his men of warre were returned to Maximius and the most of his seruauntes that night were fled When Maximius came within the viewe of the imperiall tent where Alexander remayned he stoode still and commaunded certaine Capitaines to goe to Alexander not to take but to kill him that by no meanes they should giue him space or place to do any déed or stay to heare any of his words for that many times delayes in like cases bring to passe that hee that should haue died doth kill him that should haue liued When Maximius his Captaines came vnto Alexanders tente he was blaming his mother saying that by her auarice and couetousnes hée lost both life and honour but his complaintes and her lamentations extended to smal purpose for that ioyntly they slue the sonne and mangled the mother all to péeces Herodianus in his Romane histories sayth that this chaunce and death happened vnto Alexander but other Historiographers no lesse graue and true although they say that hee died in Germanie yet say not that he was subdued in Asia moreouer the occasion of his death they report after another maner because Herodianus knewe not otherwise to excuse the treason committed by Maximius but to say for that Alexander had béene ouercome he was odious vnto all the armie CHAP. X. ¶ Of a solemne Oration made by Alexander vnto his men of warre WHen Alexander departed from Rome to goe into the warres of Asia hée had great regard vnto his men of warre as well for their safetie as also for robbing such countries as they were to passe for as naturall is it for men of warre to rob their neighbours as to kill enimies When hée did eate he had alwayes his tente open to the end all men of his host should both sée and knowe that the meate which he did eate had more taste of the sharpnesse of the warres then of the delicatenesse of Rome Nightly hee did visite the circuite of his campe and at all times would giue them false alarmes to yéeld them aptnesse vnto armour and readinesse to repaire vnto their ensignes If any person did wander from his standard either to rob or but so much as to walke the qualitie of the person considered hee receiued punishment more or lesse If any were a brabler with his hoste froward with his companions disobedient vnto his officers tooke any thing by violence or was foule mouthed hee would say these woords vnto him wouldest thou that as thou doest they should doe or as thou sayest they should say vnto thee Knowest thou not the prouerbe of the Christians Quod tibi nō vis alteri ne feceris that is what thou wilt not to thy selfe do not to another Alexander said that he heard this Prouerbe spoken and he wist not whether of the Iewes or Christians whiche in his heart tooke such déepe impression that he did not onely speake and repeate but also many times wrote the same vnto his gouernours and further caused them to be drawen vppon his ensignes and grauen vpon all his workes Alexander being resident in the territories of Antioche was informed that a certaine Capitaine had abused an auncient woman both in woord and déede and both being called into his presence and the matter heard he commaunded the Capitaine to be depriued of his roome and office and of the liberties which hee had receiued in Rome and further that hee should be slaue vnto the old woman furthermore hee commaunded that in Carpentars craft he should perfourme his seruice mainteine his old dame Hee vsed so great seueritie and hardnesse with his men of warre that many times hee dispatched them by whole bandes for that he might not endure their ciuil dissentions or robberies and scandals amongest neighbours All Romane princes had feare of their armies except Alexander and the cause why as he said hee feared them not was for that he payed them very well and remoued all occasion of reprehension from his owne person and life for in the ende none hath true libertie to chastice but the man that is of a sincere life The armie remayning in Antioche he was aduertised that they gaue themselues vnto women haunted hoate houses and spente and lost much time in vaine playes and idlenesse whereuppon hee commaunded all the Capitaines Tribunes and Centurions to be taken and with yrons to be cast into prison vppon which cause there grew amongest them no small scandal in so much that openly they durst say vnto Alexander if on that present day hee did not let them lose the nexte day following they would depart vnto the enimies Alexander being aduertised what his men of warre had said what they ment to do commaunded them all to appeare before his presēce both such as were in bonds as those that were at libertie saying vnto them these words Alexander his Oration made to his men of warre at his commaundement before him summoned and assembled Brothers friends and my companions that which now I haue to say vnto you is more for the loue whiche I beare you then feare which I haue of you because princes that haue feare to execute iustice either it is for that they are vniust or because their subiectes should dissemble their owne proper vices Howe would ye that I should suffer you being as ye are noble Romaines whom cruell tyrantes would not endure as their subiectes There is none so euil althoughe hee endeuour not to be vertuous that of the good holdeth not good opinion wherof followeth that it is much more euill for the common wealthe the prince being vertuous to suffer persons vicious then him that is vicious to permit no vice in his common wealth The prince that consenteth vnto vices and dissembleth with vicious persons is not to be named a pitifull father but a peruersse and a cruell tyraunte for that notwithstanding at the present hee doeth not chastice them yet
thinges whiche he did in Rome and howe the tyrant Maximius did kill him in Britaine AFter that Alexander had subdued and triumphed ouer the Persians certeine dayes he was deteined in the gouernement and refourmation of the cōmon wealth because the longe absence of princes breedeth wante of iustice amongst the multitude Of all the riches that he brought from the warres of Asia he did take for him selfe but one horse one chariot foure Elephantes one sworde one cuppe of Ius and a paper of poinctes which belonged vnto kinge Artaxerxes for as he saide The pray of princes ought to be imployed on princes The defence of the most daungerous frontiers he commended not but vnto men that had great wealth in the same which if he had not he gaue it them in such wise that to conserue his fidelitie which he did owe to saue his goods which he possessed he should be forced to defende his countrie or dye in the enterprise There was in Rome in those dayes a Mathematiciā named Thrasibulus of whō Alexander demaunded what death he should dye who aunswered thou shalt dye in a straunge countrie not in thine olde age but by the swoorde of a Barbarian whereat Alexander was nothing altered but rather with excéeding ioy imbracing Thrasibulus said A certeine speach of Alexander against the terrour of death If the Gods did graunt vnto other princes to liue perpetually and commaund mee onely to dye I confesse I should dolefully feele the deede of death but our life being as it is so shorte and death so necessarie I had rather dye in the field by the handes of mine enimies then in my chamber compassed with Physicians Vnto the greatnesse of Princes it appertaineth not onely to lead a good life but also elect an honourable death and to this ende I say vnto thee Thrasibulus that all the felicitie of a Prince consisteth in well gouerning the common wealth and also to imploye his life for the same What fame or glorie what ease or quietnesse doth followe the life of that Prince which dieth in his olde yeres and sickely in which age for the most parte olde men be euil serued of their subiectes and contemned of straungers He that conceiueth it to bee good for the priest to dye in the temple conceiueth no lesse of the Prince that dyeth in the field for that the office of the one is to praye of the other to fight I haue seene many dye here in Rome after the manner which the common people do thinke the best kinde of death that is to saye laden with yeares laide in their beddes accompanied with sonnes honoured of parents compassed with sonnes in lawe visited of Physicians and serued of nephues at whose death I beare no enuie since I knewe of them that before their bodies were tasted of woormes their hearts were vnbowelled with griefe thought Thrasibulus thou doest well knowe that Alexander Darius Hector Pompeyus Gayus Tullius Seneca and Demosthenes were men in their persons verie glorious in doctrines verie wise and in their deedes no lesse heroycall and yet all these with many others dyed not accōpanied with their friends but by the handes of their enimies neither were they blemished with so vntimely a death since of them nothing was lesse esteemed but rather by their cruell deaths they aduaunced their fames No other thing is diuers in death but onely the manner of the same sithence death in the ende is alwayes but one thinge for we should not be afflicted with the manner of our death but what thinges we should repaire to the amēdement of our life Admitting that these cōsiderations apperteine more vnto Philosophers then vnto the simple yet I saye both to thee and other that as it was not in our handes to be borne so shal not the manner of our death consist in our selues but that houre being arriued there and then shall euery man finde for him selfe what fortune hath prouided All these thinges Alexander saide vnto Thrasibulus in secrete and afterwards openly in the hearing of all men Not manie dayes after these thinges passed Alexander departed vnto the warres of Germanie which were not prosecuted in Germanie but in Gallia transalpina for because the French men were subiect vnto the Romains the Germaines did inuade them Alexander beeing in the greatest heate of these warres certeine mutinous souldiours and olde seruantes of Heliogabalus did create a capteine named Maximius Emperour béecause the Emperour Alexander woulde not consente but vtterly detested their horrible and vicious actes Alexander remaining in the lesser Britaine in a place named Cilicia Maximius his trayterous adherentes determined to kill him their Lorde and Emperour before it might be manifested through the armies for that notwithstanding diuers of them did doubt his seueritie yet on the other parte all persons did loue his iustice Alexander reposinge at after noone the traytours agreed with a iester to murther him in his tente who beeing entred fel into such dismay that he not only gaue ouer his determined attempt vnperfourmed but also fledde with no small doubt and feare affrighted But beeing afterwardes retyred vnto Maximius and his companions persuaded them presently to kill Alexander beeing at that time on his bedde solitarie and vnaccompanied for that other wise he woulde discouer their whole intente which he saide because it was A lawe Martiall that anie which shoulde aduenture to enter the tente of the prince without licence shoulde pay no lesse then the losse of his life Maximius and his complices consideringe what the iester had saide presently determined to murther their Lorde and Emperour Alexander and so ioyntly and furiously entringe his tente slewe both him his mother and all persons that made resistance or ouerthwarted them with anie displeasaunt speache Alexander died one the twelfth of Iune after thirteene yeres nine dayes of his Empire were expired he liued twentie nine yeres three moneths and seuen dayes and was a Prince in Rome moste loued in his life and most bewayled at his death The enimies of Alexander did note him that he despised in him selfe to be natiue in Assyria that he loued gold inuented newe tributes was seuere with souldiours did what he could to resemble Alexander Magnus and that he was somewhate suspicious But the thing wherefore Alexander was most blamed and iustly deserued to bee noted was that being a man and of greate experience in the gouernement of the Empire he continued subiect vnto his mother as when he was a childe and in this case it was sufficient that he had reuerenced and honoured her as a mother and on the other parte to haue considered that her counsell in the ende was but of a woman Alexander was so vniuersally beloued of all nations of the Empire that it chaunced at his death which neuer was read to haue chaunced at the death of any Prince of the worlde that is to saye that they were all slaine which brought the newes of his death neither the
commaundements of commissions of his successour woulde they obey aduouchinge it to bee blasphemie in the place of so vertuous a Prince to yelde obedience vnto a traytour so detestable FINIS Errours escaped Page 136 Page 143 Page 335 Page 366 Page 431 Faultes Chap. ii Faultes Chap. xi Faultes Chap. iiii Faultes Chap. xii Faultes Othe Faultes Manea Correction Chap. vii Correction Chap. x. Correction Chap. iii. Correction Chap. x. Correction Other Correction Mamea and so it must be read wheresoeuer it is found ¶ A generall Table conteyning the titles or arguments of euery Chapter throughout the bodie of this whole booke ⸫ The life of the Emperour Traiane Pag. 13. Chap. 1 OF foure renoumed cities that perished and were subuerted in Spaine 2 Of the countrie and birth of the Emperour Traiane 3 Howe Traiane passed out of Spaine being a young man to goe into Italie 4 Of the friendship and parentage that Traiane had with the Emperour Nerua 5 Howe Nerua was made Emperour and adopted Traiane his sonne 6 Of the lawes that Traiane made to the profite of the common wealth 7 Of the noble and notable vertues that were in Traiane 8 Of the proude and stately buyldinges which Traiane made 9 Of some vices whereof Traiane was noted 10 Of the first warres that Traiane had against the Datians 11 Howe Traiane triumphed ouer the Datians and refourmed his common wealth 12 Of the second warres that Traiane had against the Datians 13 Of the great buyldings that Traiane made in the kingdome of Datia 14 Of the second entring of Rome by the Emperour Traiane and the notable thinges which he did in the same 15 What Traiane did in Sicyl in Africa and in Spaine 16 Howe Traiane did passe out of Spaine into Asia and the manner that he vsed in the warres 17 Of the honourable titles that the Romanes sent vnto Traiane and of the earthquake in Antioche 18 Howe Traiane subdued Assyria and what he did in Babylon 19 Howe Traiane after great trauell to passe into the Indiaes was constreined to retyre 20 Howe Traiane comming from Asia to triumph in Rome was staide by death in Sicyl The life of the Emperour Adrian Pag. 71. Chap. 1 Of the lineage from whence Adrian descended and of the place and countrie where he was bred nourished 2 Of some euil inclinations that possessed had power in Adrian 3 Of the friendes and enimies which Adrian had 4 Of the loue that the Emperour Traiane had vnto Adrian 5 Of the care and solicitude of Adrian to obteine the Empire 6 Howe at Traianes death Adrian was declared Emperour 7 Of his entraunce into Rome 8 Of the good conditions and inclinations of Adrian 9 Of the manner which Adrian vsed with the men of warre 10 Of the actes that Adrian did in Englande Fraunce and Spaine 11 Howe Adrian did passe into Asia and of the things that chaunced there 12 Of the great liberalitie that Adrian vsed and some cruelties that he committed 13 Of the lawes that Adrian made 14 Of some of his gratious and pythie sentences 15 Of the thinges that he did worthie praise and some other thinges worthie dispraise 16 Whome Adrian did adopt to succeede him in his Empire 17 Howe and where the Emperour Adrian died The life of the Emperour Antoninus Pius Pag. 118. Chap. 1 Of the lineage and countrie of the Emperour Antoninus Pius 2 Of the inclination proportion and naturall fashion of his bodie 3 Of the woorkes of pietie which he did and the cause why hee was intituled Antoninus Pius 4 Of the woordes that Adrian saide vnto the Senate when he did adopt Antoninus Pius 5 Of the offices that Antoninus helde before he was Emperour 6 Howe he held all Prouinces in peace not by armes but with letters 7 How he did visite the officers of his cōmon wealth and the reformation of his house 8 Of certeine notable buyldings erected by Antoninus 9 Of certeine lawes which the Emperour Antoninus Pius made 10 Of the prodigious and monsterous things that happened during the Empire of Antoninus Pius 11 Of the warres that happened in the reigne of Antoninus Pius and other his actes 12 Of the succession of the Empire and the occasion of his death The life of the Emperour Commodus Pag. 149. Chap. 1 Of the byrth of the Emperour Commodus 2 Of the honourable titles giuen to the Emperour Commodus in time of his youth 3 Howe Commodus did inherite the Empire of his father Marcus Aurelius and of a certeine speach which he vsed vnto the Senate 4 Of a certeine famous and notable speache vsed by one of his Tutours for that he would leaue the warre of Panonia vnfinished 5 Howe Commodus left the warres of Panonia to go to Rome 6 Howe Commodus was cruell and of the cruelties which he vsed 7 Of a certeine conspiracie attempted against Commodus and of Perennius his moste fauoured Counsellour 8 Of a conspiracie that Perennius wrought against the Emperour Commodus 9 Of the tyrant Maternus and of his treason against Commodus 10 Of the inexpected death of Cleander a fauoured and moste priuate seruaunt vnto Commodus 11 The reporte of a fyer which descended from Heauen and burned in Rome the Temple of Peace 12 Of many cruelties and not a fewe phantasticall practises of Commodus 13 A discourse of the prouinces that rebelled in his reigne and the prodigies of his death 14 Howe Commodus was slaine by the deuise and counsell of his Courtesane Martia The life of the Emperour Pertinax Pag. 240. Chap. 1 Of the lineage and countrie of the Emperour Pertinax 2 Of the variable fortune that Pertinax did passe before he obteined the Empire 3 VVhat was saide and what he aunswered vnto those persons that offered him the Empire 4 A certeine notable speache vttered by Letus vnto the armie in the fauour of Pertinax 5 Of an Oration made by Pertinax in the Senate immediately after he was elected Emperour 6 Of manie thinges whiche he did after he was Emperour 7 Of many thinges whiche he did ordeine refourme in the common wealth 8 Of certeine vices wherewith he was infected and of the prodigies of his death 9 Of the occasion that the Pretorians tooke to murther him 10 Of a notable speache that the Emperour Pertinax vsed when his souldiours came to kill him The life of the Emperour Iulianus Pag. 246. Chap. 1 Of the life lineage and countrie of the Emperour Iulianus 2 Howe the Empire of Rome was set to sale and also soulde by proclamation 3 Of the greate and mortall hatred whiche the Romaines did beare vnto Iulianus for buying the Empire 4 Of twoe Romaine Capteines named Seuerus and Pessenius that rebelled against the Emperour Iulianus 5 Howe by the commaundemente of the Senate the Emperour Iulianus was slaine The life of the Emperour Seuerus Pag. 266. Chap. 1 Of the lineage and countrie of the Emperour Seuerus 2 Of the offices which Seuerus helde in the Empire before he was Emperour 3 Howe the
also manie and rich iuels and writinge with his owne hande a letter after this manner Bassianus Antoninus onely Emperour of the Romanes to Arthabanus the greate king of Parthians health and good fortune ⸫ The famous auncient Romanes and many of the principall of my predecessours came from the West into Asia onely to make warre vppon this thy kingdome but I come not to make thee warre but to seek peace and to this peace both thou I haue to search a meane that it may be perpetuall for otherwise a iust warre were more safe for princes then a fayned peace As wee read in bookes and heare of our forefathers there is not a more briefe and sounde waye for greate enimies to growe to bee faithfull friendes then by recouering newe aliance by the waye of marriage for in true and faithfull marriages as the married be ioyned in bodies so be they lincked and confederate in heartes and mindes Although some Princes haue married with the daughters of Consuls and Senatours and admitting they haue so done I will not so doe for that I was borne a prince and am a prince and will dye a prince wherefore I will not marrie but with the daughter of a Prince When congruently or aptly it may be done it agreeth not with the maiestie of the Empire that the Prince this day should holde him for his father in lawe whome he helde yesterday for his vassall Although the wiues of Princes vse not to commaunde and gouerne yet we must graunt that when Princesses be the daughters of high Princes and desscended of royall bloud the people and subiectes are more honoured satisfied and pleased and such bring foorth children more noble and generous The Empire of the Romanes and the Empire of the Parthians are two the moste renoumed Princes throughout the whole worlde for notwithstanding the one at times hath subdued the other yet neuer intirely had the one lordship of the other I am prince of the Romanes and thou art Prince of the Parthians if thou wilt marrie thy daughter with mee with greate good will I would matche with her and after this manner of two diuided Empires wee shall make one in concorde These two Empires beeing ioyned may there be any kingdome that will disobey them or any king that shall dare to saye against them I demaunde not thy daughter for her beautie for there are others muche fairer in mine Empire neither doe I request her for thy richesse for I haue sufficient neither doe I craue her to recouer more vassals for I haue kingdomes ynough subiecte vnto mee But I do it because of auncient enimies wee might frame our selues immortall friendes in such wise that as hitherto we haue had you in contempt as barbarians from hencefoorth wee shall behaue our selues as brethren Thincke not that I write thus vnto thee by thy fauour to be reuenged of mine enimies or for that my kingdomes haue rebelled against mee as thou shalte vnderstande by these mine Ambassadours which my father lefte vnto mee so plaine and their Princes so dedicated to obedience that they doe not onely accomplishe what I commaunde them but also request mee to inioyne them more If in this which I write to thee thou thinkest there be deceipte thou oughtest also to conceiue that I shal bee most deceiued partely for that beeing as I am a Romane Prince and partely because I am the person whiche sueth for that in this marriage thou aduenturest not more then thy daughter but I committe vnto Fortune mine honour goods and person Herein I will saye no more but I praye thee to receiue these iewelles which I sende thee in good parte and to that which mine Ambassadours shall saye giue credite The king of the Parthians after he had read this letter and hearde the Ambassadours what they had to saye in the behalfe of Bassianus did aunswer him after this manner CHAP. XI ¶ Of another solemne letter wherein the king of the Parthians aunswered Bassianus Arthabanus king of the auncient kingdome of the Parthians to Antoninus Bassianus the onely Romane Emperour health prosperitie Before all thinges I giue thankes vnto the immortall Gods because they haue put into thy heart that which thou hast written and that which thou with thy Ambassadours hast sent to saye vnto vs By that which I haue read in thy letters and hearde of thy Ambassadours I knowe that thou beleeuest in the Gods and hast not taken counsell of men for men alwayes giue counsell vnto Princes to make warre but the Gods alwayes persuade them to keepe peace Thou sayest that the Romane Princes thy predecessours alwayes passed into Asia with a minde determined to make warre with the Parthians ▪ but ioyntly herewith I would thou shouldest consider that as the warre which ye tooke in hand against vs was vniust so fortune was vnto them alwayos vnfortunate for it is not the will of the Gods that by an vniust warre an entire victorie should be obteined Ye Romanes tooke the enterprise to be Lordes of the whole worlde and to prosecute the same ye rigged foorth many nauies and fleetes ye ioyned greate armies conquered straunge prouinces destroyed many kingdomes killed much people robbed infinite treasures and aduentured your selues into great and immeasurable daungers and in the ende that which they had obteyned they lost yea the conquerours also lost them selues because whatsoeuer is gotten to the preiudice of another man is lost to the greate hurte offence of him that obteined the same That which thou promisest in thy letter and in thy name thy Ambassadours offer mee I am not onely bound to accepte but also deserued greate displeasure if I durst denie the same beecause it is a thinge moste iuste that the Goddes make warre vppon that prince which refuseth the request of men in peace Thou sayest that the chiefest meane to cōfirme peace is for princes to practise marriage betwixt thēselues I denie not but that in some persons it is moste true but it is no generall rule for all men for we daily see betwixte moste neare kinred and alies moste greate quarelles and scandals to arise My greate graundfather was father in lawe vnto kinge Arsacidas and afterwardes the one slewe the other in the fielde and the verie same we heare reported to haue chaunced amongst you Pompey married with the daughter of Iulius and afterwardes Iulius ouercame and destroyed Pompey his sonne in lawe in suche wise that the marriages which they made to conserue peace did awake and inflame them to more cruell warre The Prince that hath feare of the Goddes and is naturallie giuen to peace may not finde a better meane to obtaine the same thē to be quiet in his owne realme for speakinge the verie trueth the prince that is satisfied with his owne proper estate needeth not to seeke affinitie in straunge kingdomes Vnto my father were offered greate noble and mightie mariages frō straunge kingdomes whereunto he woulde neuer consente either hardely indure to