eies whom thou dost inrich whom thou dost aduance to honours who haue greatest power of hurting or helping which Seianus to haue had no man will denie The Princes hidden thoughts or if he go about any secret drift it is not lawfull to sound and dangerous neither shalt thou in the end reach vnto them Thinke not onely Lords of the Senat of Seianus last day but of sixteene yeeres in which we did likewise fawne vpon and court Satrius and Pomponius and to be knowen to his freed men and partners was reckoned as a high fauour What then Shall this defence be generall and not distinguished but a confusion made of times past and his later actions No but let it by iust bounds and termes be diuided Let the treasons against the common-wealth the intentions of murdering the Emperour be punished but as for the friendship duties pleasures and good turnes the same ende shall discharge and quite thee O Caesar and vs. The constancie of his oration one being found to deliuer that which they all thought in their mindes preuailed so much that his accusers by ripping vp their old faults were punished either with exile or death III. The occasion of making a Prefect at Rome an examen of some of the Sibyls bookes AFter that Tiberius sent letters against Sext. Vestilius sometime Pretor and welbeloued of Drusus his brother chosen to be one of his garde The cause of displeasure against Vestilius was either bicause he had composed certaine writings against Caesars vncleane life or falsly fathered vpon him gaue credit to the reporters and therupon being banished the Princes court familiarity hauing first gone about with his owne olde feeble hand to slaie himselfe bound vp his vaines and in the meane space hauing entreated the Princes fauour and receiued arigorous answere did at last open them Then at once were accused of treason Annius Pollio Appius Silanus Scaurus Mamercus Sabinus Caluisius Vicinianus also brought in with his father for companie all of them well descended and some in authoritie The Lords of the Senat quaked for feare for how manie was there which was not either allied or a friend of one of those noble men But Celsus Tribune of the citie-cohort and then an informer deliuered Appius and Caluisius from danger Caesar deferred Pollioes Vicinianus Scaurus cause that himselfe might haue the hearing of it with the Senators hauing giuen out alreadie tokens of heauie displeasure against Scaurus Not so much as women but were partakers of danger and if not attainted for attempting to aspire to the Empire yet brought in question for their teares and Vitia an old woman Fusius Geminus mother was put to death bicause she bewailed the death of her sonne These things were done in Senat. And where the Prince was the like was practised Vescularius Atticus and Iulius Marinus two of his most familiar friends which accompanied him to Rhodes and at Capreas neuer departed from him were put to death Vescularius was the Messenger to and fro when the treacherie was wrought against Libo Marinus was of Seianus counsell when he put Curtius Atticus to death most men being glad to see them taken in the snare they laid for others About the same time L. Piso high Priest died a naturall death which was a rare matter in those times in a man of so great nobilitie He neuer of himselfe propounded any matter which smelled of flatterie or base minds if he were forced thereto he vsed great moderation in doing it His father as I haue alreadie saide had beene Censor he liued to the age of fowerscore hauing in Thrace deserued the triumphall ornaments But his greatest credit rose in that that being newly created Prouost of the citie he did gouerne exceeding moderately all the time of his continuall rule irkesome through vnwontednes of obedience For in times past when the Kings or Consuls went out of the citie least she should be left without gouernment there was one chosen for a time able to giue euery man right prouide for all sudden accidents And it is said that Dentres Romulius had the same charge giuen him by Romulus after that Numa Marcius by Tullus Hostilius and Spurius Lucretius by Tarquinius Superbus Then that the Consuls had the charge of committing this office and a shadow of it continueth vnto this day as oft as the Latine feasts are folemnised one is appointed ouer the rest to exercise the roome of a Consull But Augustus in the time of ciuill warres made Cilnius Maecenas a gentleman Prouost ouer Rome and all Italie Then being Lord and Master of the Empire by reason of the greatnes of the people and slow aide which the lawes affoorded he chose out one of such as had been Consuls to bridle the bondmen and such citizens as through audaciousnes would grow troublesome vnlesse they stood in awe The first that receiued that authoritie but kept it but awhile was Messalla Coruinus as vnable to discharge it Then Taurus Statilus although he were verie aged went through it with great commendation After that Piso was well liked for the space of twentie yeeres and by order of the Senat honoured with publick funerals It was afterward propounded before the Lords of the Senat by Quinctilianus Tribune of the people concerning the Sibyls booke which Caninius Gallus one of the fifteene requested might be receiued among other books of the same prophetesse and demanded it might be so established by decree of Senat which being giuen by common consent Caesar sent letters somewhat reprehending the Tribune as ignorant of the old custome by reason of his youth and vpbraided Gallus that being old and practised in the science and ceremonies neuertheles had demanded the opinion of the Senators not fully assembled the author being vncertain and before the colledge had yeelded their iudgment neither as the custome was the verses hauing been read and waighed by the maisters Withall he aduertised them because that many vaine things were published vnder the name of famous men that Augustus had vnder penaltie set downe a day within which such bookes should be brought to the citie-Pretor and that it was not lawfull for any to haue them in their priuat possession The like decree was established by our predecessors also and after that the Capitol was burnt in the ciuill war their verses were sought in Samum in Ilium Erythrum through Affrike also Sicily and the colonies of Italie whether they were one or many the busines being committed to the Priests to distinguish the true prophecies from the false as neere as might be by the iudgement of man And then also the booke was referred to the examination of the fifteene When the same men were Consuls through a dearth of corne and other prouisions they grew almost to a commotion and many things for many dayes together were in the Theater more licentiously demaunded with great eagernes then the manner had beene to demaund things of the Emperour Whereat being moued he
of good luck but take it away againe but hauing made a bridge with vessels and pasled ouer his armie the first which came to the camp was Ornospades with many thousand of horsemen This Ornospades once a banished man brought no small ayde to Tiberius when he made warre in Dalmatia and for that seruice was made citizen of Rome After this entering anew into the kings fauour he made him ruler of all that countrey which lieth betweene two famous riuers Euphrates and Tigris and thereof tooke the name of Mesopotamia Not long after Sinnaces augmented his forces and Abdageses the stay of that side ioyned vnto them the wealth and preparation of the king Vitellius thinking it inough only to haue shewen the Romās power aduertised Tiridates and the chiefe nobles of Parthia but especially Tiridates that he would alwaies haue in minde as things worth remembrance Phrahates his grandfather Caesar his bringer vp the nobles to be dutifull to their king shew a reuerence vnto vs and euery man to haue a care of his credit and fidelitie and from thence turned back with the legions into Syria I haue ioyned together things done in two sommets to recreate the minde of the reader wearied with domesticall aduersities But Tiberius although three yeeres were past and gone since the death of Seianus could not be appeased neither by time nor prayers no nor by punishing his fill things wont to mollifie other men but would punish vncertaine and stale things gone and past as manifest offences and newly committed Whereupon Fulcinius Trio fearing this dealing and not able to indure the accusers which were now bruing matter against him in his last will and testament composed many cruell things against Macro and certaine of the chiefe of Caesars freed men obiecting against himselfe that he had a fickle and vnconstant head through age and that by his cōtinuall absence he differed little from a banished man Which things being concealed by Trios heires Tiberius commaunded publickly to be recited shewing thereby patience in another mans libertie and small regard of his owne infamie or else because he was ignorant of Seianus villanies vntill that time and content that all things howsoeuer they were spoken should come to light and haue the truth knowne which flattery often hindereth rather to his owne shame and reproch then not at all The same time Granius Martianus a Senator being accused of treason by C. Gracchus slew himselfe Tatius Gratianus likewise who had been Pretor and condemned to die by the same law Not vnlike deaths vnto the former had Trebellienus Rufus and Sext. Paconianus for Trebellienus killed himselfe with his owne hands and Paconianus was strangled in prison because he had there composed certaine verses against the Prince Tiberius did not receiue these newes deuided from Italie by sea or by messengers a farre off as he was wont to do but neere vnto the citie where he might the same day or the next morning answere the Senators letters as it were looking vpon the bloud of the citizens flowing in their houses and the hand of the executioners In the end of this yeere Poppaus Sabinus gaue vp his ghost a man of meane parentage yet through the fauour of Princes had beene Consull and triumphed and gouernor ouer the greatest prouinces foure and twentie yeeres not for any excellent skill that was in him yet able to discharge the office and no more X. The Clites rebell against Archelaus King of Cappadocia Tiridates King of Parthia his conquests Artabanus being recalled driueth out Tiridates QVintus Plautius and Sext. Papinius were Consuls the yeere following This yeere the people of Rome were so inured to calamities that they thought it not hard dealing that L. Aruseius and others were put to death but they were greatly dismayed to see Vibulenus Agrippa a gentleman of Rome immediatly after the accusers had ended their oration in the Curia to draw poison out of his bosome and drinke it and being fallen downe and yeelding vp his ghost yet to be in all haste caried by the sergeants to prison and already halfe dead incontinētly to be strangled No not Tigranes who had been sometimes King of Armenia but then arraigned could with his royall title escape the same punishment that was inflicted vpon bare citizens C. Galba sometime Consull and two of the Blaesi died of a voluntarie death Galba bicause by Caesars hard rigorous letters he was forbidden to cast lots for the gouernment of the prouince the Blaesi because that the priesthoodes which were destined vnto their house whilest it was in prosperitie and now being decayed deferred and bestowed vpon others when they were vacant which they construed as a prognosticate of death and therefore did execute it themselues Aemilia Lepida whom as I haue before told you was married vnto yong Drusus charging him with diuers crimes although she were most lewde and wicked yet escaped scotfree and vnpunished whilest Lepidus her father liued but afterwards she was conuinced of manifest adulterie with one of her bondmen and therefore laying aside all defence ended her life with her owne hands At the same time the Clites being a people of Cappadocia and subiect to Archelaus because they were according vnto our custome constrained to bring in the value of their yeerely reuenewes and pay tributes fled to the hill Taurus and there by the strong site of the place defended themselues against the weake forces of their King vntill M. Trebellius Lieutenant sent thither by Vitellius Lord president of Syria with foure thousand legionaries and certaine choise ayd-souldiers had compassed and enuironed with engins and works two hils which the barbarians possessed the lesser called Cadra the other Dauara killing those which durst issue out with the sword and forcing the rest to yeeld for want of water But Tiridates ayded by the Parthians recouered Nicephorium and Anthemusias and other townes which lying in Macedonia yet are called by Greeke names and Halum and Artemita townes of Parthia striuing who had best cause to reioyce Artabanus being odious vnto them for his crueltie as brought vp among the Scythians and hoping that Tiridates would be courteous and gentle as trained vp and fashioned after the Romaine behauiour and education The Seleucians vsed great flatterie their citie is very strong enuironed with walles and not corrupted with barbarous fashions but retained such as their founder Seleucus gaue them Their manner is to choose three hundred either for wealth or wisedome and of them make as it were a Senate The people kept their part in gouernment and as long as they agree among themselues the Parthian they feare not but falling to iarres and contentions whilest each side calleth for aide against his aduersary he who is called by one of the parties mastereth both That hapned of late vnder Artabanus who for his owne commoditie made the people subiect to the chiefe gentlemen where the people beare the sway that gouernment approcheth neerest vnto libertie but the rule of a few
looseth anker and moderated his course to returne the sooner if Germanicus death should open him a way to Syria Germanicus being a little amended and in some hope then growing feeble againe when his end was at hand he spake to his friends about him in this manner If I should die a naturall death yet should I haue iust cause of griefe against the gods that by an vntimely death they shuold take me in my youth from my kinsfolks children and countrey But now being brought to this passe by the lewde practise of Piso and Plancina I leaue in your breasts for my last prayers that you signifie vnto my father and my brother with what crueltie torne with what fraude circumuented I haue ended my miserable life with a most naughtie death If the hopes conceiued of me haue moued any if neerenes in bloud any yea if enuie towards me when I liued they will weepe that he who hath sometimes flourished and escaped so many battels should now end his life by the guile and treachery of a woman you shall haue occasion to complaine to the Senate and demaund the execution of lawes This is not the chiefest dutie of friends to shew their affection towards the dead by a slow and dull complaint but remember and execute that which they commanded Yea such as knew not Germanicus wil weepe for him If you did rather loue me then my fortune you will reuenge my death Shew the people of Rome Augustus neece and the same my wife and my children which are sixe in number the accusers themselues will haue compassion and those which pretend wicked commaundements shall either not bee beleeued or not pardoned His friends taking him by the right hand swore they would rather lose their life then omit reuenge Then turning to his wife intreated hir by the memorie of him and by the children common betweene them that she would lay aside all haughtines and submit her courage to raging fortune lest returning to the citie she stirred not with emulation of greatnes more powerable then her selfe against her Thus much he vttered openly and other things in secret whereby it was coniectured he stoode in feare of Tiberius Not long after he yeelded vp the ghost with great lamentation of the Prouince and countries about forren nations and Kings lamented also so great was his courtesie to his allies and mildnes to his enimies He was no lesse venerable to those which sawe him than to those which heard of him and did so well temper the greatnes of high estate grauitie that he auoided both enuie arrogancie His funerals although he had neither images nor pompe yet by the commendation and memorie of his vertues were honoured of all men Some there were which compared his fauour his age and manner of death by reason of the vicinitie of the places wherein they died vnto Alexander the great For being both of a comely stature noble parentage not much aboue thirtie yeeres of age they died in strange countries by the trecherie of their owne people But this man was courteous towards his friends moderate in pleasures his children certaine begotten in marriage by one woman Neither was he to be counted a lesse warrior then the other although he were not rash hindered to reduce vnder the yoke of seruitude the Germans daunted with so many victories And if he alone had had the supreme managing of affaires and power a name of a King so much the sooner he would haue carried away the prise renowne of warfare by how much he did excel him in clemencie temperancie other good vertues His bodie before it should be burned was laid naked in the market place of Antioche which was the place appointed for his buriall Whether he shewed any tokens of being poisoned or not it is vnknowen for diuers did diuersly interpretit either as they were inclined to pitie Germanicus or suspected to fauour Piso This being done the Lieutenants the Senators which were present cōsulted amōg themselues whom they should make gouernor of Syria the rest not greatly contending it was long debated betwixt Marsus Gn. Sentius in the end Marsus yeelded to Sentius being his elder prosecuting the suite more eagerlie He sent to Rome one Martina a woman infamous in that Prouince for empoisoning but deerly beloued to Plancina at the suite of Vitellius Veranius others which framed their acusations as against one already guilty of the fact But Agrippina wasted with sorrow feeble of body yet impatient of delaying reuenge took shipping with Germanicus ashes with her and her children all men taking compassion that a woman so nobly descended and who not long since in regarde of her stately marriage was honored and reuerenced by all men should now carrie in her lap those lamentable relickes of her husband incertaine of reuenge doubtfull of herperson so oft exposed to fortunes mercy by her vnluckie fruitfulnes XVIII Piso is doubtfull vvhether he should returne to Syria or not And prepareth an armie against Sentius IN the meane season a messenger ouertaketh and aduertiseth Piso at the Iland Cous that Germanicus was departed Which tidings he receiued intemperately offered sacrifices visited the temples nothing moderating his ioy and Plancina growing more insolent then first changed the mourning weede she ware for the death of hir sister into a ioifull attire The Centurions flocking about him told him that he had the good will of the legions at his deuotion that it was his best to returne to the prouince wrongfully taken from him and now voide of a gouernour Whereupon taking aduise what was best to be done his sonne M. Piso was of opinion that he shoulde make all haste to the citie that there was nothing yet done which might not be answered and that weakesuspicions and vaine reports were not to be feared The variance betweene him and Germanicus was woorthie perhaps of some rebuke but not punishment and by taking the prouince from him his enimies were satisfied But if he should returne Sentius being against him a newe ciuill warre would begin Neither would the Centurions and souldiers continue on his side with whom the fresh memory of their captaine and the loue deepely printed in their harts towards the Caesars woulde preuaile Domitius Celer one of his inwardest friends perswaded the contrarie That he ought to take the time when it was offered that Piso and not Sentius was made gouernour of Syria vnto him were the fasces and dignitie of Pretor giuen to him the legions committed If any violence should be offered by the enimie who should more iustly oppose his armes against them then he who hath receiued the authoritie of a Lieutenant and speciall commission Rumors grow stale and vanish away with time and often the innocent are borne downe with fresh enuie but if he had a power at hand and his forces increased many things which could not be foreseene by meere chaunce might turne to the better Do
not once mentioning Claudius And L. Asprenas asking Messallinus before the Senate whether he had willingly omitted him Claudius name was then first added The more I meditate with my selfe of things done both in old and later times the more the vncertainties and vanities of fortune in mortall affaires come to my remembrance for in fame hope estimation all men were rather destined to the soueraigntie then he whom fortune had kept hidden for the future monarch A few dayes after Caesar perswaded the Lords of the Senate to bestow the dignitie of Priesthood vpon Vitellius Veranius and Seruaeus and hauing promised his voice to Fulcinius for the obtaining of any dignitie aduised him not to ouerthrow his eloquence with rashnes And that was the end of reuenging Germanicus death many things diuersly reported not only among such as then liued but in times consequent So doubtfull are all waightie matters whilest some take all as certaine howsoeuer they heare it others report a truth otherwise then it is posteritie adding to both IIII. Wars renewed in Affricke vnder Tacfarinas who is defeated by Apronius Lepida condemned for changing a childe BVt Drusus being gone out of the citie once more to learne future things by the flieng of birds entereth in againe with a small triumphe And a fewe daies after Vipsania his mother died onely of all Agrippas children of a naturall death because it was certainely beleeued that some died by the sword others by poison or famine The same yeere Tacfarinas who as I haue saide was the last sommer driuen out by Camillus renueth the warre in Affricke at the first by rouing pillages vnreuenged by reason of his sudden comming then by wasting of villages and carrieng away great booties and last of al not far from the riuer Pagyda he besieged a Roman cohort One Decrius was Captaine of the fort a lustie man and of good skill in matters of warre who taking that besieging as a disgrace to himselfe encourageth his souldiers to fight in open fielde and marshalled his armie in order of battell before the fortresse The cohort being beaten backe at the first brunt he runneth in among the weapons of such as fled rebuking the standard bearers that a Roman souldier would shew his back to a few vntrained raw traitors And hauing receiued wounds and an eie stroken out yet put himselfe in the face of the enimie neuer leauing of fighting vntill he was forsaken of his companie and slaine in the place Which when L. Apronius who suceeded Camillus vnderstood being more perplexed with the shame of his own people then glory of the enemie he draweth out by lot a rare matter in those daies though in old times practised euerie tenth person of the dishonorable band beateth him with cudgels to death Which seueritie wrought so great good that an ensigne of old souldiers in number not aboue fiue hundred defeated Tacfarinas armie going about to assault a fort called Thala In which battell Ruffus Heluius a common souldier got the credit of sauing a citizens life on whom L. Apronius bestowed chaines and a speare Caesar added a ciuicall crowne to them finding fault rather then offended that Apronius had not giuen it by his proconsularie authoritie But Tacfarinas perceiuing the Numidians to be daunted refusing to besiege any longer scattered his war giuing ground when he was pursued and following a fresh when their backes were turned Which maner of fight vsed by the Barbarian molested and kept the Roman plaie to no purpose But after that greedy of pray he drew to the sea coastes and there encamped Apronius Cesianus being sent thither by his fathers appointment with a troupe of horsmen and aid cohorts adding vnto them the rudest of the legions had a prosperous fight and droue the Numidian to the desarts Lepida who besides the honor of the Aemilian familie from which she was descended had L. Sulla and Cn. Pompeius for hir great grand-fathers was accused at Rome for faining hir selfe to haue had a childe by P. Quirinius a rich man and without children and also of adulteries and empoisonings and that she had consulted with the Chaldeans against the house of Caesar hir brother Manius Lepidus defending hir cause Quirinius being offended and separated from hir yet had commiseration on hir although she were both infamous and faultie In the hearing of that cause it was harde to gesse the princes minde he did so turne and winde himselfe and interlace tokens of anger with clemencie hauing first of all requested that matters of treason should not be debated at that time Then he drew M. Seruilius once Consull and other witnesses to broach such matter which he woulde seeme to haue suppressed and sent to the Consuls Lepidaes seruants whom he had garded before with a companie of soldiers would not suffer them to answer by torture to such interrogatories as did appertaine to his house Neither that Drusus Consull elect should first yeeld his opinion which some construed to be a point of ciuilitie that others shoulde not be forced to do the like others did wrest it to crueltie and that he should neuer haue giuen place but to condemne the partie called in question Lepida the day of hearing falling out when the plaies were to be shewen entering the Theater with a companie of noble women calling on hir auncestors with a dolefull lamentation and Pompey himselfe whose monuments and images were there in view mooued such great compassion that the people gushing out in teares began to curse Quirinius wishing him all crueltie and misfortune vpon whom being old and without children and of base parentage she was bestowed who had once beene destined a wife for L. Caesar and daughter in law to Augustus Not long after hir lewde behauiour was discouered by torturing hir slaues and all of them condescended vnto Rubellius Blandus opinion which was that she should be banished Drusus yeelded vnto his opinion although others were mildlier bent Then Scaurus who had had a daughter by hir obtained that hir goods should not be confiscate At last Tiberius declared that he was assured also by P. Quirinius slaues that she sought to poison him as being an enimie alwaies to noble houses And so in a short compasse of time the Calphurnians lost Piso and the Aemilians Lepida But D. Silanus being restored to the Iunian family was a comfort vnto it whose fortunes I will lay downe V. Decius Silanus touched vvith adulterie Papias Poppaeus lavve against single life AS fortune was fauourable to Augustus in gouernment of state so in household matters vnluckie and improsperous his daughter and Neece which he banished the citie being both of incontinent life and the adulterers punished with death or exile For perceiuing the offence to be common in the mouth both of man and woman and terming it by a rigorous name of religion violated or treason he passed the bondes of his auncestors clemencie and his owne lawes But I will lay downe the endes of others and what
moued because Augustus did doubt only whether he should bestow her vpon a gentleman how much more ought we to consider that he gaue her to M. Agrippa and then after vnto me These things I would not hide from thee for the friendship which is betwixt vs but I will not be against thine nor Liuiaes deseignments and will forbeare at this time to speake what I had cast in minde and how neerely I purposed to linke thee vnto me I will only say that there is nothing so excellent but thy vertues and good will towardes me doth deserue it and when opportunitie shall serue I will vtter it either in Senate or before the people Seianus hearing this answere was nothing pleased not so much in regard of the marriage as because he feared Tiberius secret suspitions the rumor of the people and enuie which grew fast vpon him Yet fearing if he should cast off those great troupes which daily came to court him he should weaken his authoritie and by entertaining them minister matter of crime the marke he shot at was to perswade Tiberius to leade his life in some pleasant place far from Rome wherein he foresaw many things as that there could be no accesse to the Prince but by him that all letters being conueied by souldiers which were at his deuotion should passe through his hands that Caesar declining now to age and growen slothfull and effeminat through the quietnes of the place would disburden himselfe of cares of state and commit them to another and that the enuie borne to himselfe should be diminished accesse to the Prince being lesser and by that meanes all vaine shadowes remoued he should grow mightie in true power and authoritie Therefore by little and by little he findeth fault with the busines of the citie the concourse of people the flocking together of multitudes extolleth highly a quiet and solitarie life a life without anguish of minde and free from enuie most fit to thinke on important and waightie affaires And falling out by chance that Votienus Montanus cause was to be heard a man of a readie wit Seianus perceiuing Tiberius not resolued to leaue the citie perswaded him to be a very inconuenient matter to be present at the assemblies of the Senate least he should heare railing and reprochfull speeches but yet true vttered of himselfe in his owne hearing For Votienus being accused of contumelious words against Caesar whilest Aemylius a witnes and a souldier laboured earnestly to prooue his assertion rehearsed from point to point though the hearers buzzed and made a noise about him all Votienus words in which Tiberius heard many spitefull and reprochfull speeches backbitingly vttered in secret against himselfe which so moued him that he cried he would either presently or when the cause was heard purge himselfe and was hardly pacified either with intreatie of his neerest friends or flattery of all and so Votienus was punished as for treason Caesar persisting stifly vsing hard and rough dealing though that was one of the crimes obiected against him condemned to exile Aquilia for adulterie with Varius Ligur although Lentulus Getulicus Consull elect had alreadie condemned her by the Iulian law and put Apidius Merula from his Senators roome because he had not sworne to obserue Augustus actes X. Acontrouer sie betvvixt the Lacedaemonians and Messenians touching the rights of the Temple of Diana Piso Pretor of Spaine slaine by a villagois AFter that were heard the Embasies of the Lacedaemonians and Messenians concerning the right of the Temple of Diana Limenetidis which the Lacedaemonians auowed by the records of their Annales and profices to haue beene dedicated by their predecessors in their countrey but taken from them by Philip of Macedon with whom they warred and afterward restored vnto them by the sentence of C. Caesar and M. Antonius The Messenians on the contrarie side alleaged an old diuision of Peloponesus betweene Hercules successors and that that territorie Dentheliate wherein the Temple was fell to their King whereof there remained auncient monuments engrauen in stones and brasse And if it were necessarie to produce the testimonie of Poets and Chronicles they had more then they of good credit neither had Philip so done by force but according to equitie King Antigonus and the Captaine Mummius gaue the like iudgement So the Milesians being publikely made arbitrators of the cause and last of all Atidius Geminus Pretor of Achaia determined the same Whereupon iudgment was giuen on the Messenians side The Segestani likewise demaunded that Venus Temple built on the hill Eryce and fallen downe with age might be reedified calling to remembrance many things of her beginning pleasing vnto Tiberius eares which mooued him to vndertake willingly the charge as being of her blood After that the Massiliens requests were heard and the example of P. Rutilius allowed who hauing by law been expulsed Rome the Smyrnaeans receiued and made a citizen in their citie By which right also the Massiliens receiued Vulcatius Moschus a banished man who left all his goods to their common-wealth as to his countrey Two noble men Gn. Lentulus and L. Domitius died the same yeere It was to Lentulus a great honour ouer and besides that he was Consull and triumped ouer the Getuli that he endured his pouertie patiently then that hauing gotten great riches without iniuriyng of any he vsed them temperatly Domitius credit grew by his father who was lord of the sea in the ciuill wars vntill he thrust himself into Antonies faction and after that into Caesars His grandfather was slaine in the Pharsalian battell taking part with the nobilitie and himselfe chosen to marrie Antonia Octauius yoongest daughter After that he passed ouer the riuer Albis with his host and entered farther into Germanie than any other before him for which cause he obtained the honour of triumphe L. Antonius of great but vnfortunat nobilitie died likewise for his father Iulus Antonius being put to death for committing adulterie with Iulia Augustus sent him being verie yoong and his sisters nephewe to Marsilles where he cloked the name of banishment with the pretence of studie Notwithstanding he had great honor done him at his funerals and his bones buried in the tombe of the Octauians by decree of the Senat. The same men being Consuls a bloodie fact was committed in hither Spaine by a pesant of Termestine who assayling vpon the way L. Piso Pretor of the Prouince at vnawares and vnprouided as being careles by reason of peace killed him with one stroke then fled in post to the woods and forsaking his horse stealing by dangerous bie-waies beguiled his followers though not long for his horse being taken and brought to the next villages it was knowen whose he was And being found and put to the racke to bewraie his complices cried alowde in his countrey language that that was a vaine question to aske him and that his companions might boldly come and behold him on the torture for no torment or griefe should be
lamentation yea priuat murmurings and scarce credible that the grandfather could indure to heare it reade it and publish it were it not that the letters of Actius the Centurion and Didymus his freed man did declare the names of such bondslaues which had either stroken Drusus or put him in a fright as he went out of his chamber Yea the Centurion added his owne words full of crueltie against Drusus as a matter worthy praise and Drusus answere againe as he fainted and drew towards his end in which faining as though he had been distracted of his wits wished Tiberius all ill luck and misfortune and then seeing himselfe past all hope of life cursed him most deadly praying the gods that as he had slaine his daughter in law his brothers sonne and his nephewes and filled all his house with bloud so they would reuenge and punish him for an example to his name his stock predecessors and posteritie The Lords of the Senate were troubled with these speeches making shew of detesting them but they were stricken into a feare and admiration that he who had been so cunning and craftie heretofore in cloking his lewdnes should now become so confident that as though the walles were throwne down he durst shew that his nephew beaten by his Centurion and strooken by his slaues should aske for meate in vaine to saue his life This griefe was scarse gone but the next newes were of Agrippina whom I thinke since Seianus death vntill now liued with hope and seeing that crueltie was no whit remitted willingly ended her life vnlesse that famished for want of sustenance it was falsely giuen out she died that death of her selfe For Tiberius layde grieuous crimes to her charge accusing her of vncleanes of life and that Asinius Gallus was the adulterer and that seeing him dead she loathed any longer to liue But in very deede Agrippina not contented with reason and greedy of rule taking vpon her cares fit rather for men then women had shaken off all vices incident to her owne sexe She died the selfe-same day that two yeeres before Seianus died which Caesar thought worthy of record and vaunted that she had neither been strangled nor throwne headlong from the Gemonies For this he had thanks giuen him by the Senate and order taken that the fifteenth Kalends of Nouember which was the day they both died some gift should be offered vp to Iupiter Not long after Cocceius Nerua who was continually at the Princes elbow a man very expert in diuine and humane lawes being in perfect disposition of body resolued with himselfe to die which when Tiberius vnderstood he went to visit him sate by him and inquired the causes of his intention and intreated him confessing at last that it would be a burden to his conscience and a discredit if the chiefest of his friends should without cause of death shew himselfe weary of life But Nerua disliking his speech would take no more sustenance Those which best knew his meaning gaue out that deepely seeing into what calamities the common wealth was like to fall into moued with anger and feare whilest his credit was vntouched and his person vnattempted would end his life with that honest death Agrippinaes ruine drew with it which is scarse credible Plancinaes destruction She had beene once wife vnto Gn. Piso and reioysed openly at Germanicus death and when Piso was slaine she was saued no lesse by Augustaes prayers then ill will she bare Agrippina As soone as hatred and fauour failed right tooke place and being accused of knowen crimes with her owne hand receiued rather late then vndeserued punishment Among other griefes in a dolefull and sad citie this was one that Iulia daughter vnto Drusus once Neroes wife married againe into Rubellius Blandus familie whose grandfather Tiburtes a gentleman of Rome most men knew In the end of this yeare the death of Aelius Lamia was celebrated with funerals proper to a Censor who at last being discharged of the gouernment of Syria which he had in shew only was made gouernor of the citie He was descended of a noble stock and was a strong liuely old man and the gouernment of the prouince denied him augmented his woorth Then Flaccus Pomponius Propretor of Syria being dead Caesars letters were recited in which he complained that if there were any notable man and fit to rule an armie he refused the charge and therefore he was forced through that necessitie to intreate such as had beene Consuls to take vpon them the rule of the prouinces forgetting that Arruntius had beene hindered ten yeeres from going into Spaine The same yeere died M. Lepidus of whose moderation and wisedome I haue spoken sufficiently in other bookes and his nobilitie needeth no farther proofe for the Aemilian family hath brought foorth many good citizens and although some of them haue beene of corrupt manners yet liued in good and honorable estate VII A Phoenix seene in AEgypt how Getulicus escaped Tiberius crueltie WHen Paullus Fabius and L. Vitellius were Consuls after manie ages were past the birde Phoenix came into AEgypt and ministred matter to the most learned of the countrey and also Greekes of disputing many things concerning that miracle Of which it seemeth good vnto me to laye downe such things as they agree of and manie which rest doubtfull yet notwithstanding worthie the knowledge That that birde is consecrated to the sunne and that it differeth in the beake and varietie of feathers from other birds all do accord which haue described her shape and forme but of the number of her yeeres there are diuers reports The common opinion is that she liueth fiue hundred yeeres some affirme that she liueth a thousand foure hundred threescore and one yeere And the first of these kindes of birdes flew to the citie called Heliopolis with a great multitude of other birdes with her woondering at her new shape in Sesostris time after that in Amasis and Ptolemaeus raigne which of the Macedonians was the third King of Aegypt But antiquitie is darke and obscure Betwixt Ptolemaeus raigne and Tiberius there were scarse two hundred and fiftie yeeres Whereupon some thought that this was no true Phoenix nor come from the land of Arabia and that it had nothing of that which antiquitie hath attributed and confirmed to be in that kind For when they haue ended the number of their yeeres and that their ende approcheth they build their nest in their countrey and in it cast seede of generation of which a yong one doth rise whose first care is being growen to ripenes to burie the olde And that not at all aduentures but hauing taken vp a certaine waight of the stone Murrha and tried the carrieng of it a long iourney when she perceiueth her selfe able to indure and carrie such a burthen and to accomplish the voiage she lifteth vp her fathers bodie and carrieth it to the altar of the sunne and there doth burne and sacrifice it These things are vncertaine and fabulously
the auncient manner Nero was against it suffering them to make choise of their manner of death for such kinde of scoffes were vsed after the murders committed P. Gallus a gentleman of Rome because he was inward with Fenius and not an enemie to Vetus was banished the freed man and accuser rewarded for his paines and a place giuen him in the Theater among the beadles of the Tribunes And the month of May which followed Aprill and called Nero was changed into the name of Claudius and Iuly into Germanicus and Cornelius Ofitus whose censure that was saide that therefore the month of Iune was past ouer because two of the Torquatus alreadie executed for their misdemeanors had made the name of Iune vnluckie A yeere continued with so many lewd actions the gods haue marked and made notorious by tempests and diseases Campania was destroied with boisterous stormes of windes which did euerie where beat downe houses woods and graine and brought the violence of it to places adioyning to the citie Where the rage of the pestilence spared none although there was no manifest shew of corruption of the aire to be seene Yet the houses were filled with dead bodies and the waies with funerals no sexe no age free from danger as well bond as free borne indifferently perished amidst the lamentations of their wiues and children who whilest they sat by them and bewailed were often burnt in the same funerall fire The death of gentlemen and Senators although in different with others lesse lamented as though they had by a common mortalitie preuented the Princes crueltie The same yeere they mustered in Gallia Narbonensis Affrick and Asia to supplie the legions of Illyria which worne out either with yeeres or sickenes were freede from their oath The Prince relieued the oalamitie of Lugdunum with fortie hundred thousand sesterces to recouer the losses of their citie which summe of money the Lugdunenses had before bestowed in troubled times III. The death of certaine noble men for desire of their wealth or other iealousies C. Suetonius and L. Telesinus being Confuls Antistius Sosianus banished as I haue sayd before for making slanderous verses against Nero vnderstanding that pickthankes were so honored and the Prince so forward to murders busie minded and not slow in taking hold of occasions insinuateth himselfe through conformitie of fortune into the fauour of Pammenes a banished man of the same place and for his skill in the Chaldean arte supported by the friendship of many This Antistius supposing that messages and consultations came not to him in vaine vnderstandeth withall that he had money yeerely supplied him by P. Anteius Neither was he ignorant that Anteius through the loue he bare to Agrippina was hatefull to Nero that his wealth as it had beene of others might be a motiue to procure his destruction Whereupon hauing intercepted Anteius letters and stolne his writings wherin the day of his natiuitie and things to come were hidden among Pammenes secrets and withall found those things which had beene composed of the birth and life of Ostorius Scapula writeth to the Prince that he would bring him great newes touching his owne safetie if he might obtaine a short intermission of his banishment for Anteius and Ostorius watch for opportunitie to lay hold on the soueraigntie and searched out their owne and Caesars destinies Therupon swift vessels were sent Sosianus brought with all speed And his accusation diuulged Anteius and Ostorius were reckoned rather among the condemned than accused in so much that no man would haue sealed Anteius testament if Tigellinus had not beene their warrant Anteius was first admonished not to delay the making of his testament but he hauing drunken poison weary of the slow working of it by cutting his vaines hastened his death Ostorius at that time was farre off in the confines of Liguria whither a Centurion was sent to make him away with all speed The cause of the haste proceeded of that that Ostorius being for matter of warre of good reckoning and deserued in Britannie a ciuicall crowne of a mightie strength of bodie and skilfull in armes droue Nero into a feare least he should assaile him alwaies timorous fearfull but then more then euer through the conspiracie lately detected The Centurion therfore when he had beset al escaping places openeth to Ostorius the Emperours cōmandement He conuerted against himself his courage often tried against the enimy And bicause his vaines whē they were opened yeelded but little blood vsing the hand of his slaue only to take out a rapier hold it stedfast he drew his right hand to him and ranne himselfe through the necke If I should haue written of forrein wars and deaths sustained for the common-wealth with diuers other accidents chances yet I should not only haue seemed tedious to my selfe but to others also abhorring the deaths of citizens being dolefull and continuall although honorable But now a seruile patience and so much bloode lost at home doth trouble my minde and oppresse it with griefe Neither do I require any other defence or excuse of those who shall know these things but that they hate them not for dying so cowardly That was certainely the anger of the gods against the Roman state which ought not so easily be runne ouer with once writing as in the ouerthrow of armies or taking of townes Let this prerogatiue be giuen the posteritie of worthie personages that as how they are distinguished from the confuse multitude in the solemnitie of their funerals so in the deliuerie of their last ends that they may receiue and haue a proper and peculiar memorie For within a fewe daies by the same violent course Annaeus Mella Cerialis Anicius Rufus Crispinus and C. Petronius perished Mella and Crispinus were gentlemen of Rome and equall in dignitie with Senators Crispinus once Captaine of the guarde and honored with Consularie ornaments and of late through the conspiracie exiled into Sardinia hauing receiued tydings he should die slew himselfe Mella borne of the same parents as Gallius and Seneca forbare purchasing of dignities by a preposterous ambition to the end that a Roman gentleman might be equalled in authoritie to the Consuls Withall he thought it a shorter course of getting wealth to mannage the affaires of the prince in quality of a Procurator The same Mella was Annaeus Lucanus father which was a great credit to him but after his death seeking out too narrowly his goods stirred vp an accuser against him one Fabius Romanus one of Lucans familiar friends which falsly fathered vpō him the father the priuitie of the conspiracie by counterfeiting of Lucans letters which Nero hauing perused commanded to be caried him gaping after his wealth But Mella which was then the readiest way to death loosed his vaines hauing bestowed in his testament a huge summe of money vpon Tigellinus and on his sonne in law Cossutianus Capito that the rest might stand good He added to his will as it were a complaint
stones for which our money is transported to forren nations or enemies I am not ignorant that these things are blamed in bankets and meetings and a meane wished for But if any would make a lawe or lay downe a punishment for them those themselues which complaine will exclaime that the citie is ouerthrowne that the ruine of the nobilitie is sought for and that there is none free from this crime But we see that old inueterate diseases of the body cannot be cured but by sharp and rough remedies the corruptor and the corrupted the weake and burning desire is to be quenched with no lighter remedies then the disordinate appetites were which kindled the minde So many lawes inuented by our auncestors so many made by Augustus those by obliuion these which is a greater offence abolished by contempt haue caused all superfluities to be more bold and practised For if thou wouldest do that which is not yet forbidden feare least thou be forbidden it But if thou hast without punishment transgressed things forbidden there is neither further shame nor feare left Why then in times past was prouident sparing vsed because euery man did moderate himselfe because we were citizens of one citie and our dominions not reaching out of Italy we had not the same prouocations by victories had against strangers we haue learned to consume other mens goods by ciuill wars our owne How small a matter is that whereof the Aediles do admonish vs how little to be reckoned of if we regard other things But truly no man doth put vs in minde that Italy doth want the ayde of forren nations that the life of the people of Rome is tossed with the incertaintie of sea and tempest and if the strength of the prouinces should not aide and succour the Lords slaues and possessions our woods forsooth and our farmes would they maintaine vs This burden Lords of the Senate the Prince doth sustaine which being omitted the common-wealth would fall to the ground In other things euery man must giue himselfe a lawe let shame amend vs necessitie the poore sacietie the rich Or if there be any of the magistrates which doth promise vs so much industrie and seueritie that he can preuent and redresse these things I do both praise him and confesse that I shall be vnburdened in part of my labour But if they will accuse faults and hauing gotten glory thereby raise priuie hatred and leaue it on me beleeue me Lords of the Senate I am not desirous of displeasures which although I run into and that very greatly and for the most part vniustly for the common wealth yet by good reason I refuse them and intreate that those be not thrust on me which will be neither profitable for me nor you XII Examples do more then lawes in reformation of abuses the Flamines are hindered for being gouernors of Prouinces CAEsars letters being heard the Aediles were discharged of that care and the sumptuousnes of their tables which from the end of the war at Actium vntill the wars in which S. Galba got the soueraigntie for an hundred yeeres lauishingly vsed began by little and little to be left off The causes of this chang it shall not be amisse to seeke out In times past rich and great houses of noble men fell to decay through their magnificence being then lawfull to winne the fauour of the people of confederates and Kings to court and be courted And as euerie man was most sumptuous in his house furniture and prouision so he was accounted most honorable and followed with a greater traine But after they began to murder one another for priuat quarrels proceeding of this pompe and that their greatnes was their ruine the rest tooke a wiser course And withall new men which were often taken out of free townes colonies and Prouinces and chosen to be Senators brought in with them the frugalitie which they had vsed before in their owne houses And albeit many of them either by fortune or their owne industrie grew to wealth in their age yet they kept the same minde and custome they brought with them But Vespasian was the chiefest author of this strict kinde of life himselfe obseruing the auncient manner of liuing for then a desire of pleasing and imitating the Prince wrought more then either punishment of lawes or feare Vnlesse peraduenture we thinke that there is in all things a certaine change and as there is an intercourse and change of time so also an alteration of customes and manners Neither were all things in auncient times better then ours but our age hath left vnto posteritie manie things worthie of praise and imitation But let such honest contentions between vs and our predecessors stil continue amongst vs. Tiberius hauing gotten the fame of moderation by repressing the accusers sent letters to the Senat requesting the Tribuniciall authoritie for Drusus That terme of highest dignitie Augustus inuented to auoide the name of King or Dictator and yet vnder another title signified a soueraigntie aboue other magistrates After this he chose M. Agrippa as an associat of that dignitie and after his death Tiberius Nero lest the successor should be vnknowen thinking thereby to cut off others vnlawfull hopes trusting to Neroes modestie and his owne greatnes By which example Tiberius did then assure the soueraigntie to Drusus when as whilest Germanicus liued he held his iudgment indifferent betweene them both not preferring the one before the other But in the beginning of his letters hauing humbly prayed vnto the gods that they would prosper his counsels to the good of the common-wealth he spake some few words and those truly of the yoong mans behauiour as that he had a wife and three children and was of the age that he himselfe was called by Augustus of famous memorie to vndertake the same charge Neither could it be saide that hastily but after eight yeeres triall hauing suppressed seditions and setled the wars and triumphed and beene twise Consull he was taken to be an associat of a knowen labour The Lords of the Senat conceiued the drift of his oration whereby their flatterie towards him was the more artificiall Yet notwithstanding there was nothing newly inuented but ordained onely that the images of the Princes the altars of the gods Temples and arches and such vsuall honours should be erected for him Sauing that M. Silanus demaunded and opined that in publicke and priuate monuments the Consuls names should not be prefixed but theirs who had Tribuniciall authoritie a thing greatly dishonoring and debasing the Consulary dignitie Q. Haterius who had counselled that the decrees made that day in Senat should be written in letters of gold was mocked for his labour that an olde man should vse to his infamie such filthie flatterie Whilest these things were a doing the gouernment of Affrica was continued in Iunius Blaesus Seruius Maluginesis a Flamen Dial or Iupiters Priest sued that he might draw lots for the gouernment of Asia saying That it was vainely spread abroad
persons which voluntarily follow the wars Withall he tooke a short viewe of the legions and what Prouinces they defended which giueth me occasion to declare what strength the Romans had then in armes what Kings their confederates and how much lesse the Empire then was Italie had in both seas two nauies the one at Misenum and the other at Rauenna certaine Galleies called rostratae to defend the coast adioining to Gallia which Augustus had taken in the victorie at Actium sent to Foroiuliense well appointed with sea men But the principall strength consisted of eight legions neere vnto Rhene a staie as well to the Germans as Galli Spaine newely subdued had three legions King Iuba had the Mauritanians as a gift giuen him by the people of Rome the rest of Affricke had two legions and Aegypt the like number Then all from the beginning of Suria vnto the riuer Euphrates which contayneth a great countrey receiueth fower legions Hybero and Albanus and other Kings being borderers which by our greatnes are protected against forrain Kings Thrace was vnder the gouernment of Rhoemetalces Cotys children and the banck of Danubium two legions garded in Pannonia and two in Maesia The like number was in Dalmatia which by the situation of the countrey lie behinde them that if on the sudden Italie should neede aide they were at hand Albeit the citie had her proper souldiers three citie cohorts and nine Pretorian almost all chosen out of Etruria Vmbria old Latium and old Romans sent thither to dwell The Galleies of confederats lay in the most commodious places of the Prouinces the companies of horsemen and aides of cohorts not much inferiour in strength though not easilie laide downe through their vncertaine flitting hither and thither sometimes moe sometimes lesse as time and necessitie required I thinke it also expedient to discribe the other partes of the common wealth and howe they had beene gouerned vntill that daie being the yeare in which the state beganne to decline by Tiberius growing woorse and woorse In the beginning publicke and priuat affaires of greatest importance were handled before the Lords of the Senate and the chiefest licenced to opine and debate matters Tiberius himselfe rebuking them if they fell to flattery In bestowing of offices he had regard to their auncestors merite in seruice abroad or lawdable acts at home such only preferred due authoritie reserued vnto the Consuls and to the Pretor the meaner officers each one exercising his owne function and the lawes matter of treason excepted duly executed But for prouision of corne and leuying of tributes and other publick commodities certaine societies of gentlemen of Rome had charge of Caesar committed his owne affaires to honest and tried persons and to some vnknowne if they were wel spoken of and such as were once chosen continued still and grew old in the same charge The people were distressed with a great dearth of corne yet no fault thereof in the Prince but with as great care and diligence as he could remedieth the sterilitie of the ground and rough passages of the sea and gaue order that the prouinces should not be oppressed with new taxations and the old be borne without couetousnes and crueltie of magistrates Caesar had small possessions in Italie and a reasonable number of seruitours and in his house a few freed men and if he had a sute against any priuate person he tried it by law in the place of iudgement all which he maintained not with any courteous and mild course but sternely and feared vntill by the death of Drusus all was turned vpside downe For whilest he liued there was no alteration because Seianus beginning to rise sought meanes to win credit and feared least Drusus would reuenge who neuer dissembled his hartburning but often complained That his sonne being aliue he had another coadiutor in the Empire and what wanteth that he is not his companion That the first steps to soueraigntie are hard but once entred into there will want no fauorers nor followers forts he had built as he liked best charge giuen him ouer souldiers his image was placed amongst C. Pompeius monuments and that he should haue his nephewes common to the Drusian familie that hereafter Modestie must be prayed vnto that he would be contented with his greatnes He did not vtter these speeches seldome or to a few and his wife being corrupted his secrets were bewrayed Seianus therefore thinking it time to make haste chooseth a slow working poison the better to father his sicknes vpon some casuall disease which was giuen Drusus by Lygdus an Eunuch as eight yeeres after it was knowne III. Germanicus children are in Senate recommended to the Lords by Tiberius Drusus funerals and how he vvas empoisoned BVt Tiberius all the time of Drusus sicknes shewed no signe of feare perhaps because he would shew his constancie yea being dead but not buried he entered into the Senate and put the Consuls which sate on a lowe seate as a token of their sorrow in minde of their honors and calling And hauing mastered his owne griefe comforted the Lords of the Senate which powred downe teares with a continuall speech saying That he knew well he might be blamed for shewing himselfe in Senate in so fresh a griefe when the communication of deerest friends and kinsfolks was scarse seene nor hardly the day by many which lamented and mourned Neither were they to be condemned of weakenes yet he for his part had sought for stronger comforts out of the bosome of the common wealth And hauing compassion on the Empresse old age and tender yeeres of her nephewes and of his owne decaying age intreated that Germanicus children the only comfort of present miseries might be brought before them The Consuls went out and emboldening the yong men in that which they should say brought them before Tiberius who taking hold of them said Lords of the Senate I deliuered these fatherles children to their vncle and besought him although he had issue of his owne that he would bring them vp and cherish them as if they were his owne bloud and make them worthy for himselfe and posteritie Drusus being taken from among vs I turne my prayers to you and beseech you in presence of the gods and our countrey that you would receiue and gouerne Augustus nephewes sonnes descended of worthie progenitors and accomplish therein my dutie and your owne These Nero and Drusus shall be in stead of fathers vnto you You are so borne that all your good and euill appertaine to the common wealth With great weeping were these words heard and prayers made that the yong men might prosper and if he had then ended his oration he had filled the harts of the hearers with compassion towards himselfe and glory But being fallen into vaine discourses as such as had beene often laughed at of yeelding vp the gouernment and that the Consuls or some other should take the care vpon him he discredited that which was both honest
able to draw the truth from him And being the next day brought againe to the torture by violent force breaking from his keepers so dasht his head against a stone that immediately he yeelded vp the ghost Some were of opinion that Piso was slaine by the treacherie of the Termestines by reason he exacted more of those barbarous people then they were able to beare XI Poppaeus Sabinus defeateth the Thracians and their obstinacie LEntulus Getulicus and C. Caluisius being Consuls triumphall ornaments were awarded Poppaeus Sabinus for defeating certaine Thracians which wildly liued in high mountaines therfore more sauage fierce The cause of their rebellion besides their naturall disposition was bicause they would not that any muster should be made of their strongest and ablest men for seruice neuer accustomed to obey their Kings farther then themselues listed or if they did send any aide they appointed the conductor of them and would make no warre but against the borderers There was also a rumor then spread that they should be dispersed and brought into other nations and mingled with them But before they began to beare armes they sent Ambassadors to Sabinus declaring their amitie and obedience to the people of Rome and that they would so continue if they were not oppressed with new taxations but if like vanquished men they should liue in seruitude they had both weapons and youth and a resolute courage ether to die or liue in libertie And therewithall shewed their fortresses built on rocks whither they had conueied their parents and wiues and threatened an intricat hard bloody war But Sabinus giuing milde answeres vntill he had gathered his forces together and when Pomponius Labeo was come with a legion out of Moesia king Rhoemetalces with the aid of his countreymen which continued still in their alleageance with the forces he had at hand he marched toward the enemie possessed of the streights of the woods some of the forwardest shewing themselues in open place which the Romane captaine hauing stole vpon were easily put to flight with small bloudshed of the barbarians by reason of their refuges at hand Then fortifying in the same place seaseth on the mountaine which was narrow and euen ridged vnto the next fort garded with great but vnorderly and confuse strength and immediatly sendeth before of his choise archers against the fiercest of them before the trench as the manner of the countrey is singing ditties and verses They wounded many with shot a far off and drawing neere by a suddaine irruption of the enemie had bene driuen to the worst if the Sugambrien cohort which lay not far off in dangers venturous no lesse fierce dreadfull in noise of songs clattering of armes had not receiued them at a pinch After this Sabinus encamped neerer the enemie leauing the Thracians which as I haue alreadie said came to our side at the first fort with warrant to wast burne carry away booties so as they tooke no longer time then the day and returne at night to set a sure watch and a vigilant ouer the camp Which at the first was obserued but afterward through riot wantonnes and desire of riches neglecting their wards hunting after belly cheere and ouertaken with wine fell heauily all to sleepe The enemie vnderstanding their retchles negligence deuided his men into two squadrons the one to set on the forragers and the other to assaile the Romain camp not with hope of any surprise but by their clamors and clashing of weapons euery man intentiue to his owne danger they should not heare the noise of the other skirmish choosing the night withall to make the fear the greater But those which assaied the trench of the legion were easily repulsed the aid of the Thracians in the other fort terrified with a suddaine assault part of them lying asleepe within the trenches and part seeking prouision and stouer abroade were so much the more cruelly slaine because they were reckoned to be as fugitiues and traitors which bare armes to bring themselues and their countrey into seruitude The next day Sabinus sheweth himselfe in a place without aduantage to either side to see whether the barbarians glad of the nights successe durst venter a battell But seeing they went not out of their fortresses or hils adioyning he began to lay siege to them with a strong companie casting a trench and a parapet foure miles compas about them after that by little and little to barre them of water and forrage streightened his enclosure the first enuironing the last and raised vp a bulwarke so neere the enemie that from thence they might throw stones darts and fires into the enemies camp But nothing annoyed the enemie more then thirst a huge multitude of rawe fighting souldiers hauing but one fountaine left them for their vse withall their cattell as the custome is among barbarous people shut vp with them died for want of stouer dead carcases of men lay along as well with wounds as thirst all corrupted with putrefaction stench and infection And to make their troubled estate more miserable they fell at discord among themselues of all calamities the full measure some readie to yeeld some to die some to strike and kill one another some perswading couragiously to sallie out and not perish without reuenge and these not of the basest alloy though deuided in opinions But among the captaines Dinis a man stroken in yeares and who by long experience had tried as well the strength as clemencie of the Romaines counselled them to lay downe their armes as the only remedie in their distresse and was the first which yeelded himselfe with his wife and children to the conquerors the rest which were weake either through age or sexe and desired rather life then renowme did the like But the youth betweene Tarsa and Turesis both resolued to die with libertie were doubtfully distracted but Tarsa crying that death was to be hastened and hope and feare to be cut off at once and giuing example vnto others thrust himselfe through the breast many following the same death Turesis with his companie expected the night our captaine not being ignorant thereof and thereupon reenforced the watch The night being stormie and tempestuous the enemie now making a fierce outcry and on the sudden vsing a maruellous silence droue the besiegers into vncertainties when as Sabinus went about from one place to another exhorting them not to lay chance open to such as by their doubtfull clamors and fained silence layde traines to intrap them but that euery man should keepe his standing and take heed he threw no dart in vaine In the meane space the barbarians clustering together by troups now threw hand-stones against the rampire iauelins burnt at the end and troncheons of oake now filled vp the ditches with shrubs hurdles and dead carcasses Some of them hauing before made bridges and ladders planted them before the bulwarks catched hold of them labored to pull downe the defence grapled fought hand to
proiected in his minde some meanes of his ruine knowing well that he was verie fierce and head-strong and therefore easilie intrapped In the ende of this yeere two famous men died Asinius Agrippa rather of a renowned then auncient stocke himselfe not degenerating from them and Q. Haterius descended from Senators whilest he liued greatly esteemed for eloquence but monuments of his wit there are none bicause he was esteemed rather for vehemencie and quicke deliuerie then diligence and premeditation And as others industries and labours are had in estimation after their daies so Haterius fluent vaine was extinguished with him XIIII The falling of an Amphitheater and the hurt which ensued Tiberius reedifieth certaine houses burnt in the hill Caelius WHen M. Licinius and L. Calphurnius were Consuls a sudden and vnlooked for mischance as soon ended as begun might haue been compared to the calamitie of mightie warres For an Amphitheater begun at Fidena one Atilius a freed man to set foorth a play offencers as one hauing neither abundance of wealth nor ambitious in winning fauour of the people but by niggardly sparing to make a base gaine in the workmens hire did neither laye a sounde foundation nor fasten the timber frame erected vppon the same Thither flocked many verie desirous of such shewes both men and women of all ages partly by reason it was so neere vnto them and partly because that during Tiberius empire they were barred from such pastimes whereby the mischiefe was the greater For the pile being great and filled full with a throng of people then falling asunder whether it fell inwards or spred outwards it carried downe headlong and ouerwhelmed a huge multitude of people intentiue on the shew within or gazing round about Those which at the beginning were crusht to death by that hap escaped languishing torment They most of all were to be pitied which being brused and broken yet liued and in the day knew their wiues children by sight and in the night by lamentable howling crying Those which were absent moued with this report one lamented his brother another his neere kinseman another his parents yea they were afraide if their friends and cosens were out of the way although for other occasion doubting still they had been there and because it was not certainely knowne whom that violent ruine had beaten downe the vncertaintie spread the feare the farther As soone as they began to remoue the frame they flocked about the dead bodies some kissing some imbracing them and fell often at debate in mistaking one for another by reason they were dissigured through some resemblance of countenance and likenes of yeeres Fiftie thousand persons were slaine or maimed by that mischance and a decree layd downe by the Senate that from thence forward no man should exhibit the play of Fencers who was lesse worth then foure hundred thousand sesterces nor that any amphitheater should be built but in a firme and sound place and Atilius was banished After that fresh calamitie the houses of the chiefe gentlemen were open medicines and phisitions appointed for the brused and mangled and the citizens although heauie and sad yet then were like their auncestors which after great battels did relieue and comfort the wounded with all care and liberalitie That misfortune was scarse past but the rage and violence of a fire consumed the citie more then euer and burnt the hill Caelius That was reported to be an vnluckie yeere and that the princes absence was begun in a dismall houre as the manner of the people is to draw casuall mishaps to blame if Caesar had not preuented them by bestowing of money to euery man according to his losse For which liberalitie thanks in Senat were giuen him by the noble men and the people gaue him a good report because that without ambition or intreatie of friends he had of his owne motion helped and called strangers vnto him And diuers were of opinion that the mount Caelius should after that bee called mount Augustus because that when all was wasted with fire round about onely the image of Tiberius which was in Iunius a Senators house remained vntouched The same happened in times past to Claudia Quinctia and therefore her image twice escaping violent rage of fires our auncestors did consecrate in the Temple to the mother of the gods an argument that the Claudians are accounted sacred and receiued among the number of the gods and therefore the ceremonie ought to be augmented in the place where the gods haue shewen so great fauour towards so mightie a Prince It shall not be amisse to shew how that hill was in old time called Querquetulan bicause it was fertill and abundant with oakes then Caelius of Caele Vibenna who being Captaine of the Etrurian nation and succoured the Romans obtained that seat of Tarquinius Priscus or of some other King for in that point writers do varie As for the rest it is without controuersie that those great companies of souldiers did inhabit also the plaines and places adioyning to the place of assemblies and thereupon that was called the Thuscian street of the name of the strangers which came thither to inhabit But as the beneuolence of noble men and largesse of the Prince was a great comfort in their aduersitie so the credit and authoritie of informers more and more increasing wrought the ouerthrowe of manie Domitius Afer accused Varo Quinctilius a wealthie man and neere kinne to Caesar hauing before condemned Claudia Pulchra his mother no man maruelling that being long a needie companion hauing wastfully consumed his late recompence should arme himselfe to farther mischiefe But that P. Dolabella was his sellow picthanke issued of noble kinred and allied to Varus was a miracle ouerthowing by that action himselfe and distained his nobilitie and blood Yet the Lords of the Senat would not agree thereto but thought it conuenient to expect the Emperours comming which for the time was the onely shift against imminent mischiefes But Caesar hauing dedicated his temples in Campania albeit he had giuen warning by edict that no man shuld disturbe his quietnes hindered the concourse of townsmen by placing of souldiers in the way yet being awearie of townes and colonies and all places situated in the cōtinent withdrew himselfe to the Iland Capreas three miles distant by sea from the farthest part of the promontorie of Surrentum I easily beleeue that that Iland did fit his humor hauing neither hauen nor cōmodities those conueied in very little vessels no man landing but the watch was presently acquainted with it The temperature of the aire is in winter milde by reason that a hill opposite vnto it beateth back the force of the windes In the sommer season it is open to the Westernwinde and hath verie pleasantly the sea on euerie side and a goodly prospect towardes the hill Vesuuius vntill by fire the face of the place was changed The report goeth that the Greekes did possesse that place and that the
his age He was Neroes sonne and on both sides extracted frō the Claudian familie although his mother went by adoption into the Liuian familie and after that into the Iulian. He had doubtfull fortunes from his first infancie for being a banished man he followed his father who was proscribed and being brought into Augustus house as his son in law was greatly maligned al the time that Marcellus and Agrippa and afterward Caius Lucius Caesar liued Yea his brother Drusus was better beloued then he of the citizens but after he had married Iulia his slipperie estate was tied to two great inconueniences which was either to indure the incontinencie of his wife or go from her After that returning from Rhodes he liued twelue yeeres in the Princes house which had no children then possessed the Empire almost 23. yeeres He changed his manners diuersly according to the times Whilest he was a priuat man he was of good life and credite and had commendations vnder Augustus He was close and craftie in counterfeiting vertues whilest Germanicus and Drusus liued and whilest his mother liued he kept a meane somtimes good and somtimes bad For crueltie he was infamous but in lasciuious lusts as long as he loued or feared Seianus secret In the end he burst into all wickednes dishonestie and reproch after that hauing cast away shame and feare he gouerned himselfe wholy according vnto his owne disposition and nature THE ELEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS I. The death of Asiaticus and Poppaea * The beginning of this Booke is wanting FOr he beleeued that Valerius Asiaticus who had beene twise Consull had in times past committed adultery with Poppaea withall greedily gaped after those gardens which he bought of Lucullus and beawtified and trimmed most stately Suilius was suborned to accuse them both Sosibius Germanicus bringer vp was ioyned with him who vnder colour of friendship counselleth Claudius to beware of such as were strong and rich as men dangerous vnto the state and that Asiaticus the principall author of murdering Caesar feared not to auouch it in a full assemblie of the people of Rome and challenge the glory of the fact vnto himselfe He was famous in the citie for it and a rumor spread throughout the prouince that he prepared a voyage toward Germanicus armie because that being borne at Vienna and strengthened with strong and great kindred he thought it an easie matter to stirre vp his countrey men But Claudius making no farther enquirie sent Crispinus the captaine of the gard with a band of readie souldiers as though it had bene to suppresse a warre who finding him at Baias layd yrons vpon him and drew him to the citie where he was not licensed to be heard of the Senate but in the Emperours chamber in the presence of Messallina There Suilius accused him that he had corrupted the souldiers and wonne them by money and loose life to all wickednes Then charged him with adultery with Poppaea and vnnaturall dishonestie of bodie At that although he were commaunded to silence he burst forth and sayd O Suilius aske thy children and they will confesse me to be a man And entering into his defence Claudius being wonderfully moued drew teares likewise from Messallinaes eyes who going out of the chamber to wipe them giueth Vitellius warning not to suffer the partie arraigned to escape She maketh haste to ouerthrow Poppaea sending some through the terror of prison to perswade her to kill her selfe Caesar being so ignorant therof that a few dayes after he asked her husband Scipio as he sate at table with him why he had sate downe without his wife who made him answere that she was dead But whilest Claudius consulted of Asiaticus deliuerance Vitellius with teares declaring how long time their friendship had continued and how they two did reuerence honor Antonia the Princes mother then running ouer briefely his seruices towards the common wealth and that so lately done in Britannia and what else might seeme to moue compassion left it in the end to his owne choise what death he would choose Claudius yeelding him the like clemencie with like words After this some perswading him that to die with famine and abstinence was an easie death he answered that he reiected such fauour and therefore hauing done those exercises he was vsually wont to do washed his body and fed daintily saying that it had bene a more commendable death to haue died by Tiberius slienes and cunning or C. Caesars violence then now by the treachery of a woman and Vitellius vncleane mouth cut his vaines and hauing first seene the fire wherein his bodie was to be burned commaunded it to be remoued to another place least the thick tuffed trees should be marred with the smoke so small reckoning did he make of death II. Certaine Romaines accused for a dreame A treatise of aduocates AFter this the Lords of the Senate were called together and Suilius goeth on and accuseth certaine noble and renowned gentlemen of Rome surnamed Petra The cause of their death was because they had lent their house vnto Mnester and Poppaea when they had any cause of conference But there was a dreame also obiected against one of them which was that he dreamed he had seene Claudius crowned with a crowne of eares of corne and the eares turned backwards interpreting that vision to signifie a dearth of corne Some report it to haue beene a garlande of vine braunches with white leaues which he sawe in his dreame and interpreted it to foretell that the death of the Prince shoulde follow at the end of Autumne Whatsoeuer the dreame was it is not to be doubted but that he and his brother were both put to death Crispinus had giuen him by decree of Senate fifteen hundred thousand sesterces and ornaments of the Pretor Vitellius added ten hundred thousand sesterces to be giuen to Sosibius bicause he had beene Britannicus Schoole-master and Claudius Counseller Scipio being demanded his opinion said Seeing I do thinke of Popaeus faults that which all you do thinke perswade your selues that I do say that which all you do say which was an excellent moderation and mean shewing the loue he bare hir as his wife and necessitie of giuing sentence being a Senator Suilius neuer ceased from accusations but prosecuted them with al crueltie and many followed his audacity for the Prince drawing vnto himselfe all the duties of lawes and magistrates opened the way to robberie Neither was there any marchandise more publikely bought and solde then the perfidiousnes of aduocates insomuch that Samius a woorthy gentelman of Rome hauing giuen Suilius fowre hundred thousand sesterces to pleade his cause and after perceiuing his preuarication and collusion ran vpon his sword in Suilius owne house Then C. Silius Consull elect of whose authoritie and fall I will speake in conuenient time beginning to speake the rest of the Senators rose vp and demanded earnestly that the lawe Cincia might be set
siege or els because it was tempered least it should worke immediatly But Nero impatient of lingring long working wickednes threatned the Tribune cōmanded the poisoneresse to be put to death bicause that whilest they respect the rumor and forge excuses for their owne safty they droue off his security They then promising as spedy a death as if he shold be slaine with a sword neere vnto Caesars chamber a poison was sod strong and violent by proofe of poisoning The custome was for Princes children to sit with other noble mens of the same age in presence of their neere kindred with a spare diet at a table by themselues Britannicus there taking his repast because one of the seruitours did taste his meates and drinkes least the custome should be omitted or the villanie disclosed by both their deaths this pollicie was deuised A drinke yet not hurtfull but very hote and tasted of was presented to Britannicus then that being refused by reason of the heate the poison was powred into cold water which so spread throughout all the parts of his bodie that his speech and spirits were at once taken from him Those which sate about him were in a maze the other which knew nothing ran away but they which were of deeper iudgement stirred not but looked Nero in the face he leaning on the table like one that knew nothing of the practise sayd he was often wont to fall into such fits through the falling sicknes which Britannicus had been greeuously afflicted with from his infancie and that his sight and speech by little and little would come to him againe But Agrippina was possessed with such a great feare an astonishment of senses although she indeuored to hide it in countenance that she was easily iudged to be as ignorant of the fact as Britannicus sister Octauia for she saw that she was bereaued of her greatest stay perceiued well that it was a beginning of parricide Octauia also although of yong yeeres yet had learned to hide her griefe her loue and all affections and so after a little silence the mirth of the banquet began againe Britannicus bodie was burnt the same night he died all funerall preparation hauing beene prouided before hand which was but small neuertheles he was buried in Campus Martius in such stormes showres that the people beleeued they portended the wrath of the gods against so heinous a fact which yet many excused in Nero calling to minde the auncient discord of brothers in termes of soueraigntie and how Kings admit no companions Many writers of that time do deliuer that Nero many dayes before had abused Britanicus bodie and therefore that now his death could not seeme either vntimely or cruell although it happened in the sacred libertie of his table his sister not hauing so much as time to imbrace him hastned before his enemies face against the last of Claudius bloud and his bodie defiled before he was poisoned Caesar excused the hastines of the obsequies by an edict saying that the custome of auncient times was to celebrate in secret manner and not openly dolefull and bitter funerals without either solemnities or praises As for himselfe hauing lost the ayde and comfort of his brother the rest of his hopes were anchored wholy in the common wealth and that the Lords of the Senat people should so much the more fauour maintaine that Prince which was only left of the familie borne to rule and absolute dominion Then he enriched with gifts the chiefest of his friends Neither wanted there some which blamed men pretending grauitie that they deuided houses and possessions as though they had beene booties Some thought the Prince forced them thereto as guiltie of his fact and hoping for pardon if he could bind vnto him the mightiest and strongest in power But his mothers wrath could by no munificence be appeased but she embraced Octauia and had often secret conference with her friends and besides her naturall couetousnes scraping money together of all hands as it were for some purpose on a pinch she entertained the Centurions and Tribunes with all courtesie she honored the names and vertues of the nobilitie which then were in towne as though she had sought for a head to make a faction Nero perceiuing that commaundeth the gard of souldiers which heretofore was appointed to gard the Emperors wife and now her as his mother to be taken from her and certaine Germans which she had besides the former appointed to gard her to depart and be gone And least she should be frequented with multitudes of saluters he deuideth his house sendeth his mother to that which was Antoniaes and as oft as himselfe came thither garded with a companie of Centurions after a short salutation departed againe V. Agrippina accused for conspiring against Nero. Silana punished Pallas and Burrhus accused THere is no mortall thing more mutable and flitting then the fame of greatnes not sustained by his owne force and strength Agrippinaes house was now vtterly forsaken no man went to comfort her no man to visite her sauing a few women and vncertaine of them whether for loue or hatred Among which Iunia Silana was one who as I haue alreadie declared at Messallinaes instigations was separated from hir husband C. Silius a woman of great parentage of alluring and wanton beautie and a long time welbeloued of Agrippina Yet afterwards there was a priuie grudge betweene them two bicause Agrippina had dehorted Sext. Africanus a noble yoong gentleman from marriyng of Silana saying shee was vnchast and growne into yeeres not because she meant to reserue him for hir selfe but fearing least he should enioy Silanaes goods if she died without issue Silana hauing a hope of reuenge offered sollicited Iturius and Caluisius followers of her owne to accuse Agrippina yet not for any old and stale matter as that she bewailed the death of Britannicus or published the iniuries done to Octauia but that she intended to stir vp Rubellius Plautus by the mothers side as neere to Augustus as Nero was to new enterprises against the state by marriyng of him Empire gotten by her meanes afflict inuade the common-wealth afresh These things Iturius and Caluisius discouered to Atimetus a freed man of Domitia aunt vnto Nero. Who glad of the occasion offered for betweene Domitia and Agrippina there was deadly hatred vrged the stage player Paris a freed man likewise of Domitia to goe withall speed to Nero and enforme most bitterly against her The night was well spent and Nero well tippled when Paris entereth as one accustomed at other times to entertaine the Prince with sports and iestes but then his countenance setled to sadnes and declaring the whole order of Atimetus tale did so terrifie and daunt the Prince that he determined to kill not onely his mother and Plautus but discharge Burrhus of his office as aduaunced by Agrippinaes fauour and readie therefore to requite her with as good a turne Fabius Rusticus reporteth that
bondmen L. Varius somtimes Consull was restored to his dignitie remoued before for couetous dealing and extortion And Pomponia Graecina a noble woman and wife to Plautius who returned with a small triumph out of Britannia and accused of strange superstition was remitted to the iudgement of her husband and he according to the auncient custome in the presence of her neerest kindred heard her cause of life and death and pronounced her innocent This Pomponia liued long and in continuall sorrow for after that Iulia Drusus daughter was murdered by Messallinaes trecherie she was not seene for forty yeers but in mourning apparel and very sad doleful Which she might lawfully do whilest Claudius raigned afterward turned to her glory Many citizens were accused that yeere of which number P Celer being one at the information of the inhabitants of Asia because Caesar could not acquit him he prolonged his cause till he died of age For Celer as I haue alreadie sayd hauing besturred himselfe in the murdering of Silanus the Proconsull cloaked all other villanies vnder the greatnes of that lewd action The Cilicians accused Cossutianus Capito criminally noted and discredited with many vices thinking he had had the same priuilege of vsing insolent behauiour in the prouince as he had done in the citie But turmoiled and molested with an ouerthwart accusation in the end letting fall his defence was condemned of extorsion Great suings preuailed so much for Eprius Marcellus of whom the Lycians demaunded restitution that some of the accusers were banished as though they had indangered an innocent man VIII A liberalitie of Nero towards certaine decaied gentlemen The warre of Armenia renewed Tiridates departeth the countrey WHen Nero was the third time Consull Valerius Messalla entered the same office whose great grandfather Coruinus an orator some old men remember to haue beene companion in office with Augustus of famous memorie Neroes great grandfathers father But the honor of this noble familie was bettered by giuing Messalla by yeare fiue hundred thousand sesterces to relieue his harmelesse pouertie To Aurelius Cotta likewise and Haterius Antoninus the Prince graunted that an annuall sum of money should be giuen although they had wasted riotously the wealth their ancestors had left them In the beginning of that yeere the warre which was drawne at length with soft and milde beginnings vntill then betweene the Parthians and the Romans for obtaining of Armenia was nowe hotly pursued because Vologeses would neither suffer his brother Tiridates to be depriued of the kingdome in which he had inuested him nor that he should enioy it as a gift from another Lord and Corbulo thought it woorthie of the greatnes of the people of Rome to recouer that which by Lucullus and Pompey had beene once gotten The Armenians being doubtfull and faithfull to neither side inuited both yet by the site of their countrey and conformitie of conditions being more neere vnto the Parthians and intermingled with them by mariages and not knowing what libertie was inclined rather to that seruitude But Corbulo had more adoe with the slothfulnes of the souldiers then perfidiousnes of the enimies for the legions remoued from Syria by a long peace grown lazie and idle could hardly endure the labor and paines of the Roman discipline Certaine it was there were old souldiers in that campe which had neuer kept watch nor ward a rampire or trench they gazed at as at a new and strange deuise without head-peeces without curasses neate and fine hunting after gaine hauing spent all their seruice in townes Whereupon the olde and feeble being dismissed he desired a supplie which was had out of Galatia and Cappadocia And to them was added a legion out of Germanie with wings of horsemen and all the armie kept in campe although the winter were so hard and the earth so couered with yce that they could not pitch their tents vnlesse they had first digged the ground Manie of their limmes grew starcke with extremitie of cold and many died in keeping the watch And there was a souldier noted carriyng a faggot whose hands were so stiffe frozen that sticking to his burden they fell from him as though they had beene cut from his armes Corbulo slightly apparailed bare headed was with them when they marched when they laboured praised the stout comforted the feeble and gaue example vnto them all Then bicause many refusing to endure the hardnes of the season such rigor of discipline forsooke him he sought a redresse by seueritie for he did not pardon the first and second fault as in other armies but he suffered death presently who forsooke his ensigne which by experience proued more profitable then clemencie For fewer forsooke that campe then where there was much mercie shewen In the meane season Corbulo hauing kept the legions in campe vntill the spring and disposed the aydcohorts in conuenient places charged them not to giue the onset The charge of the garrisons he committed to Pactius Ophitus once Captaine of the first ensigne who although he wrote to Corbulo that the Barbarians were carelesse and disordered and a fit occasion offered of atchieuing some exploite yet he was commaunded to keepe within his garrison and expect greater power But breaking his commandement when he saw a few troupes of horsemen issue out of a castle hard by and vnskilfully demaund battell he encountered the enimie and went away with the losse And those which should haue seconded them terrified with that discomfiture fled as fast as they could euerie man to his hold which to Corbulo was an exceeding griefe Who rebuking Pactius and the Captaines and the souldiers commaunded them all to pitch their tents out of the campe and there kept them in that disgrace vntil they were deliuered by the intercession sute of the whole armie But Tiridates besides his own followers succoured by his brother Vologeses not now by stelth but with open warre molesteth Armenia spoiling all such he thought faithfull to vs and if any forces were brought against him he deluded them by flying hither and thither terrifiyng more by fame then fight Corbulo therefore seeking occasion to ioyne battell but in vaine and constrained to make war now in one place now in another as the enimy did seuered his forces to the end that the Lieutenants Captaines might inuade diuers places at once Withall he aduertised King Antiochus to set on the gouernment next adioyning to him For Pharasmanes his sonne Rhadamistus being slaine as a traitor towardes him to testifie his loyaltie towards vs shewed more willingly his inueterate hatred against the Armenians Then the Isichians a nation neuer before confederate with vs being nowe brought to our side inuaded the hardest passages of Armenia whereby all Tiridates deseignments were crossed He sent Embassadors to expostulate in his owne and the Parthians name Why hauing of late giuen hostages and renewed amitie which opened the way to new benefites he should be driuen from the auncient possession of Armenia therefore
ouer Rhene and shew the forces behinde them conducted the legions himselfe into the Tencterans countrey threatning their destruction vnles they would breake with the Ansibarians These therefore desisting the Bructeri daunted with the like feare and the rest fleeing from others perils the Ansibarian nation alone retired back to the Vsipians and Tubantians from whose territories being expulsed as they went to the Catti then to the Cherusci by long wandering strangers poore enemies in a strange countrey that youth that was left was slaine those that for age were vnfit for warre diuided for a pray The same summer there was a great battell fought betweene the Hermunduri and Catti each side striuing by force to be maister of a riuer which yeelded aboundance of salt sited in the confines of both their countries And besides a desire of ending all strifes by warre they had a religion rooted in them that those places are aboue others neere heauen and the prayers of mortall men no where sooner heard then from thence For they were of opinion that by the goodnes of the gods in that riuer and in those woods came increase of salt not as in other countries of the wooes of the sea when the water is dried vp but by that water cast vpon a pile of wood set on fire by the vertue of two contrary elements fire and water which becommeth thick and congealed The warre was prosperous on the Hermundurians side but the vtter ruine of the Catteans because of a vow they made that if they were conquerors they would dedicate the contrary army to Mars and Mercury protesting horses men all things ouercome should be put to the sword and truly those deadly threats were turned against themselues But the citie of the Iuhonians confederate with vs was afflicted with a sudden disaster for fires issuing out of the earth burned townes fields villages euery where and spread euen vnto the walles of a Colonie newly built and could not be extinguished neither by raine nor riuer water nor any other liquor that could be employed vntill for want of remedie and anger of such a destruction certaine peasants cast stones a farre off into it then the flames somewhat slakning drawing neere they put it out with blowes of clubs and other like as if it had been a wilde beast Last of all they threw in clothes from their backs which the more worne and fouler the better they quenched the fires The same yeere the Fig tree called Ruminalis in the place of assemblies which aboue eight hundred and fortie yeeres before had couered Remus and Romulus infancie hauing his boughes dead and the bodie beginning to wither was held as a prodigious signe vntill it began to flourish againe and thrust out new shootes THE FOVR TEENTH BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS I. Nero abused by Poppaea determineth to put to death Agrippina his mother Agrippinaes vnchast life to maintaine her greatnes CVipsanius and Fonteius being Consuls Nero deferred no longer his long before intended wickednes his boldnes by long rule being increased and his lust to Poppaea more and more enflamed who casting off all hope of marrying Nero or seeing a diuorce betweene him and Octauia whilest Agrippina liued sometimes tauntingly and sometimes merily began to find her self grieued with the Prince and calling him a ward subiect vnto others controulement said he was so far from the gouerment of the Empire that he wanted his owne libertie For why was the marrying of her delayed forsooth her beautie did not please his eye nor the noblenes of her grand-fathers who had so oft triumphed Or did he misdoubt her childbearing and true affection or least being his wife she should discouer the iniuries done to the Senat and the anger of the people against the pride and couetousnes of his mother But if Agrippina could indure no daughter in lawe but such as her sonne can worst away withall let her be restored againe to Otho her husband She was content to go any whither where shee should rather heare of the contumelies done to the Prince then see them and take part of his dangers These and the like pearcing speeches with teares and cunning by the adulteresse vttered no man hindered all men desiring that the mothers authoritie were taken lower and no man beleeuing that the sonnes hate would extend to her death Cluuius doth report that Agrippina through a burning desire of continuing her authoritie and greatnes grew to that shamelesnes that in the midst of the day when Nero was well tippled and full of good cheere she offered herselfe to him drunke as he was trimly decked and readie to commit incest and the standers by noted her lasciuious kisses and other allurements messengers of her vnchast meaning And how Seneca hauing recourse to another woman for a remedie against these intisments sent Actes a freed woman priuilie to him who carefull as well of her owne danger as Neroes infamie gaue aduertisment that the incest was commonly spoken of by reason his mother bragged thereof and that the souldiers would not endure the gouerment of so profane a Prince Fabius Rusticus reported that not Agrippina but Nero lusted after that but was discouraged by the cunning of the same freed woman But what Cluuius had reported is confirmed by other authors and the fame inclineth that way either because Agrippina had conceiued indeede so heinous a fact in her minde or that an intention of strange lust seemed more credible in her who in her yongyeeres blinded with hope of rule forfeited her honestie with Lepidus and with the like lust abandoned her bodie euen to Pallas will as one hardned and shameles in all loosenes of life by marrying her owne vncle Therefore Nero eschued her secret companie And when she went to her gardens or to Tusculanum or Antiates he praised her that she droue away idlenes At last wheresoeuer she bestowed her selfe thinking her troublesome to him determined to make her away whether by poison or by the sword or any other violence that only was his doubt and first he resolued to do it by poison But if it should be giuen her at his table it could not be attributed to chance Britannicus alreadie dying the same death and to sound the minds of her seruants seemed dangerous and being a woman long practised in wickednes was alwayes armed against the like and by taking counterpoisons before hand it was to be feared it would take no effect To kill her with the sword there was no inuention how to conceale the murder and Nero feared least any chosen to so dangerous attempt should refuse to obey II. Anicetus worketh a meanes how to make away Agrippina Neroes mother ANicetus a freed man captaine of the nauie at Misenum one which had brought vp Nero in his childhood hating and hated of Agrippina found out an inuention for the purpose which was that there might a gallie be made loose by arte in the bottome that should let her fall into the
them But Corbulo sent an armie of Hiberians to waste them reuenging by that meanes with the blood of strangers the audaciousnes of the enemie Himselfe and his armie albeit he receiued no hurt by the battell yet began to faint for want of victuals and ouer great trauell hauing no meanes to driue away hunger but with the flesh of beasts All this with the want of water feruent heat long iournies was mitigated by the onely patience of the Captaine himselfe induring more than a common souldier Then we came into tilled groundes but where haruest was in and of two castles into which the Armenians had fled the one was taken by force and the other which had resisted the first assault was forced with siege From thence passing into the countrey of the Taurantians he escaped an vnlooked for danger for not farre from his pauilion there was found a Barbarian of no small reputation with a weapon which by torture discouered the order of a treason himselfe the inuentor of it and all his complices and they were conuicted and punished which vnder colour of friendship went about treason Not long after Embassadors sent frō Tigranocerta bring tidings that the gates are open and the inhabitāts willing to obey the Romans Withall they presented him a crowne of gold as a gift to honour a stranger which honorably he accepted and tooke away no priuilege from the towne bicause they should more faithfully retaine their obedience Neuerthelesse the Kings fortresse which the fierce youth had shut themselues in was not gotten but by fight for they came foorth skirmisht before the wals but driuē into their rampiers no lōger able to resist at the last yeeld to the forces of the assailers All which the Roman atchieued so much the easlier bicause the Parthians were hindered with warre against the Hyrcanians who had sent to the Romane Prince to craue their alliance declaring that for a pledge of their frindship they had stopped Vologeses Corbulo fearing least those Embassadors in returning backe hauing past Euphrates should be surprised by the ambushe of the enimie with a good guard conducted them to the red sea whereby hauing escaped the confines of the Parthians they retuned safe to their countrey Besides this Corbulo droue away Tiridates farre off and from all hope of warres entering the confines of Armenia by the Medes by sending before the Lieutenant Verulanus with the confederates himselfe following with vncombred legions and hauing wasted with fire sword those he knew to be our enimies adhere to the King put himselfe in possession of Armenia when as not long after came Tigranes chosen by Nero to take the kingdome one of the nobilitie of the Cappadocians and King Archelaus nephew but by being kept a long time an hostage in the citie was humble and lowly euen vnto seruile patience neither accepted by consent some still fauoring the Arsacides but the most part hating the pride of the Parthians desired rather the King giuen by the Romans He had also a garrison sent him by the Romans a thousand legionarie souldiers three bands of allies and two wings of horsemen And to the end he might the easlier defend the new kingdome part of Armenia as it adioyned to Nipolis * Aristobolus and part Antiochus had charge of Corbulo came into Syria which by the death of the Lieutenant Vinidius was without a gouernor and committed to his charge IX An earth-quake in Laodicea An order for appellations THe same yeere Laodicea one of the most famous cities of Asia destroied by an earth-quake without any helpe of ours by her owne wealth recouered her selfe againe But in Italie the auncient towne of Puteolum got of Nero the priuileges and surname of a colonie The old souldiers assigned to inhabite Tarentum and Antium did not furnish the lacke of people in those places many of them being sent into Prouinces where they ended their seruice And not accustomed to marrie nor bring vp children they left their houses without posteritie for whole legions were not brought as in times past with Tribunes and Centurions and souldiers of the same band that by consent and loue they should make a common-wealth but strangers the on to the other of diuers companies without a gouernour without mutuall loue as it were gathered on the sudden of another kinde of people rather a number than a colonie The election of Pretors wont to be chosen at the will of the Senat which was now done by suite and briberie the Prince assumed to himselfe and gaue the charge of a legion to each one of the three which sued extraordinarily And augmented the honour of the Senate by ordayning that such as from ordinarie iudges appealed to the Senators should incurre the same penaltie as they did which appealed to the Emperour for before that was free for euerie man and not punishable In the ende of the yeere Vibius Secundus a Roman gentleman at the suite of the Moores was condemned of extortion and banished Italie and supported by the fauour of his brother Vibius Crispus that he had no grieuouser a punishment X. Warre in England Suetonius Paullinus conquered the Ile of Anglesey The Queene Boudicea abused by the Romans WHen Cesonius Paetus and Petronius Turpilianus were Consuls there was a verie great ouerthrow receiued in Britannie where neither the Lieutenant Auitus as I haue alreadie saide could do no more but keepe that which was alreadie gotten and his successor Verannius with small inrodes hauing wasted the Siluri was hindered by death from making any long warre a man whilest he liued famous for seueritie but in his last will shewed himselfe openly ambitious For after much flattering of Nero added that he would haue subdued the Prouince to his obedience if he had liued the two next yeeres At that time Paulinus Suetonius gouerned Britannie in skill of seruice opinion of the people which suffereth no man without a concurrent comparable with Corbulo desiring to match his honour of recouering Armenia by subduing the enimie of this countrey He maketh all preparation to inuade the Ile of Mona strong with inhabitants and a receptacle of fugitiues and buildeth flat bottomde vessels because the sea is shallow and landing vncertaine So the footemen hauing passed ouer the horsemen followed by the foord or by swimming if the waters were high Against them the enemies armie stoode on the shore thicke in aray well appointed with men and weapons and women running among in mourning attire their haire about their eares with fire-brands in their hands like furies of hell and the Druides round about lifting vp their hands to heauen and powring out deadly curses with the newnes of the sight amazed the souldier and stood stocke still close togither not once moouing a foote as though they had presented themselues to the wounds Then by the encouragement of the Captaine and animating each the other that they should not feare a flocke of women and franticke people they displaied their
Prouinces would be gouerned more iustly and constantly For as couetuousnes is brideled through feare of being accused of briberie and extortion so thankes giuing being forbidden ambition would be restrained This opinion was appooued with great consent of all yet a decree of Senate could not be established the Consuls denying the matter to haue beene propounded Anon after by authoritie of the Prince they ordayned that none should propound it in the councell of the allies that thankes should be giuen before the Senate the Propretors or Proconsuls and that no man should do that message Vnder the same Consuls the place of exercise called Gymnasium was burnt with a flash of lightning and Neroes image melted to a shapelesse lumpe of brasse And by an earth-quake the famous towne of Pompey in Campania was ruined in a great part And Laelia a virgin Vestall died in whose place was chosen Cornelia of the Cossian familie VI. The birth of Nero and Poppaeas childe The death of the same daughter The Parthian Ambassadors receiue no answere and Corbulo made Lieutenant generall of the war MEmmius Regulus and Verginius Rufus being Consuls Nero had a daughter by Poppaea which he tooke as a matter aboue all mortall ioy and called her Augusta and gaue the same surname to Poppaea The place where she was brought to bed was Antium a colonie where he himselfe was borne The Senate had alreadie commended Poppaeas wombe to the gods and had made publick vowes which were multiplied and performed And there were added processions and a Temple to the goddesses Fecunditati combate ordained to the imitation of the Athenians And that the golden images of Fortunes should be placed in the throne of Iupiter Capitoline that as the Circensian play should be exhibited in the honor of the Iulian familie at Bouillas so at Antium of the Claudian and Domitian all which were vaine and fleeting things the girle dying within fower moneths Which gaue occasion of new flatterings some being of aduise that she should be honored like a goddesse with a bed a Temple and a Priest And Nero himself as before he was without measure glad so now most sorrowfull It was noted that when all the Senate ranne to Antium at the new birth of the childe and Thraseas forbidden he tooke the contumelious repulse with a stout courage as a presage of his imminent ouerthrow It was reported that Caesar bragged to Seneca that he was reconciled to Thrasea and that Seneca was glad thereof From whence grew at once glorie and danger to woorthie men In the meane time in the beginning of the spring the Ambassadors of the Parthians brought King Vologeses message and letters to the same effect That he would now forgoe all the former challenges so oft debated for obtayning of Armenia bicause the gods although arbitraters of puissant nations had deliuered the possession to the Parthians not without the ignominie of the Romans that hauing of late besieged Tigranes then Paetus the legions when he could haue ruined them yet suffered them to depart in saftie His force was sufficiently tried a proofe giuen of his lenity Neither would Tiridates refuse to come to the city to receiue the Diademe if he were not hindered by a religion of priesthood he would go to the insignes images of the prince where in presence of the legions he would luckily begin his gouerment Vologeses letters being of this effect because Paetus had written the contrarie as though al had bin wel the Centurion which came with the Ambassadors was demanded in what state Armenia stood He answered that al the Romans were departed from thence Then the Barbarians scoffe beingvnderstood who demanded that which they had alreadie taken by force Nero consulted with the chiefest of the citie whether it were best to make a doubtfull war with the enemie or peace It was not doubted but warre And Corbulo so many yeeres practised in warres knowing the souldiers and the enimies had the generall charge giuen him least there should be a new errour committed by some others vnskilfulnes for of Paetus bad gouerment they were sorrie and repented Whereupon they were sent backe without any conclusion yet with gifts whereby it might be hoped that Tiridates should not aske in vaine if he came by way of intreatie The gouerment of Syria was committed to Cintius the strength of warre to Corbulo and the fifteenth legion vnder the conduct of Marius Celsus was brought out of Pannonia Letters were sent to the Tetrarches Kings Prefects and Procurators and Pretors which ruled Prouinces adioyning that they should obey Corbulo augmented almost like vnto that that the people of Rome gaue Pompey when he was to war against the Pirates When Paetus at his returne feared greater matters Caesar thought it inough to scoffe and iest at him almost with these words That he would pardon him presently least being so easily brought into a feare he should be sicke with longer pensiuenes But Corbulo sent the fourth and twelfth legion which seemed vnable for warre because they had lost the valiantest among them and the rest affrighted into Syria and conducteth the sixt and third from thence into Armenia all entire and whole and accustomed to often and prosperous successe and added the fift legion which was in Pontus not daunted with the ouerthrow of the others Withall the fifteenth newely arriued and some chosen in Illyricum and Aegypt and all horsmen and footemen with aides of Kings allies drawen togither to Melitenes where he purposed to passe the riuer Euphrates Then hauing taken a suruey of the armie making an oration vnto them beginneth with many stately magnificall discourses of the Emperours gouerment and his owne exploits auoiding the memorie of Paetus vnluckie vnskilfulnes which he vttered with great authoritie that it serued a warlike man in steed of eloquence Then taketh his iourney that way which Lucullus had once passed opening the passages which long continuance of time had shut vp And not disdayning Tiridates and Vologeses Ambassadors comming to intreat of peace sent Centurions to accompanie them with no rough charge For matters were not yet growne to that head that they should neede a maine battell That to the Romans many things had sorted luckily and some to the Parthians a lesson against pride Therefore it behooued Tiridates to accept as a gift the kingdome vnwasted and that Vologeses should better further the Parthians being confederate with the people of Rome than mutually endomaging the one the other He knew what discord they had within themselues and what a fierce and vnruly nation he had to rule contrariwise that his Emperour had euerie where a firme peace and no warre but that Besides his counsell he stroke them into a feare droue the Megistanas Armenians which first reuolted out of their houses battered downe their castles filled with like feare the plaines the hils the strong and weake Corbuloes name was not yet hatefull vnto the Barbarians much lesse did they pursue him like
hatred to Seneca practised all inuentions to bring him to destruction Natalis confession knowen Sceuinus with the like imbecillitie or beleeuing that all had beene discouered and that no profit could rise by keeping counsell appeached the rest Among which Lucanus and Quinctianus and Senecio long denied the matter And afterward corrupted by promise of impunitie to excuse their backwardnes Lucanus named Atilla his mother Quinctianus Glicius Gallus Senecio Annius Pollio their chiefest friendes And Nero calling to minde in the meane while that Epicharis was in indurance through Volusius Proculus information thinking that a womans bodie was not able to endure much griefe commaundeth her to be rent with tortures but her neither stripes nor fires nor the rage of the tortures which so much the more cruelly racked her least they should be contemned by a woman could ouercome but she denied the crimes obiected and so the first day of torture was contemned The next daie when she was brought to the same tortures in a bearing-chaire for her members out of ioint and broken she could not put foot to ground fastning a lace which she drew from her breast to the bow of the chaire in manner of a sliding knot put her necke into it and weighing downe with the heft of her bodie stopped that little breath she had left A notable example that a freed woman should defend in such great crueltie of torture strangers and almost vnknowen to her when as men and free-borne and gentlemen of Rome and Senators not touched with tortures detected the deerest of their kindred For Lucanus Senecius and Quinctianus stucke not indifferently to bewray their confederates Nero growing more and more fearefull although he had doubled his guard Further he filled the citie and the wals with bands of souldiers and beset both sea and riuer with watch and wards And to and fro by the Forum the houses the fields and townes adioyning footmen and horsmen scoured vp and downe intermingled with Germans whom he best trusted bicause they were strangers XIIII Accusations continued Piso would not take armes his death with Lateranus and Seneca AFter that continuall troupes one after another were drawen to their answere which lay before the gates of the gardens And when they had entered in to defend themselues euerie man triumphed ouer the conspirators If they had spoken togither by chance if met on another on the sudden if at a shew or banket they had beene seene togither it was accounted a crime and besides Neroes and Tigellinus bloodie interrogatories Fenius Rufus not yet detected vrged also vehemently and to winne an opinion that he had not beene consenting to the attempt was cruell against his confederates The same Fenius held backe Subrius Flauius then present and nodding with the head whether in the verie hearing of the matter he should draw his sword and execute the murder and brake his heate euen then putting his hand to his weapon Some there were which seeing the conspiracie detected whilest Milichus was examining and Sceuinus doubteth whether he should confesse or not perswaded Piso to goe to the fort of the guarde or goe vp to the Rostra and found the affection of the souldiers and people saying That if the confederates would ioyne togither the rest which were not priuie would follow them that the fame of an attempt was a great matter and could do much in new enterprises That Nero had made no prouision to withstand him stoutmen were daunted with sudden enterprises much lesse would that stage-player accompanied with Tigellinus and his concubines take armes against him Manie things are done by venturing which to the faint harted seeme hard It was a folly to hope for silence and fidelitie in so many mindes and bodies of partakers by torment or reward all things are made easie And some would come to clap irons on him and put him to a shamefull death How much more commendable were it for him to die embracing the common-wealth and seeking aide for libertie Although the souldier should saile him and the people shrinke frō him if it should cost him his life his death would be glorious as well to his auncestors as his posteritie But nothing mooued with these speeches shewing himself little abroad then keeping within doores confirmeth his minde against death vntill a band of souldiers came which Nero had chosen among the yoong souldiers and such as lately were receiued into seruice suspecting that the old were made on Pisoes side And cutting his vaines yeelded vp the ghost His testament was full of filthie flatteries toward Nero through the loue of his wife whom commendable only for her beautie and nothing sutable to his calling he took from a friend vnto whom she was married Her name was Arria Galla her first husband Domitius Silius he by patience she by vnchastnes spread abroade Pisoes infamie Next followed the death of Plautus Lateranus Consull elect and that with such haste that he suffered him not to imbrace his children nor haue so much as that short time of chosing his death but lead away to a place where slaues were executed was killed by the hand of Statius the Tribune full of constant silence neuer once reproching the guilt of the same fact to the Tribune Then followed the death of Annaeus Seneca most ioiful to the Prince not bicause he had found him manifestly priuie to the conspiracie but bicause he would shew crueltie with the sword seeing poison tooke no effect Onely Natalis this farre did vtter that he was sent to Seneca being sicke to visite him and complaine whie he barred Piso from hauing accesse to him and that it would be better to entertaine their friendship by familiar conuersation And Seneca to haue answered that their interchaung of speech and often communication was profitable for neither of them yet that his safetie did depend on Pisoes welfare These things Granius Siluaenus Captaine of the guarde was commaunded to carrie to Seneca and aske him whether he acknowledged Natalis speeches and bring Senecaes answere Seneca by chaunce or of purpose returned that day from Campania and remained in a countrey house fower miles from the citie Thither came the Tribune the next euening and besetteth the house with a companie of souldiers then openeth vnto him the Emperours charge as he sate at meate with Pompeia Paullina his wife and two other friends Seneca answered that Natalis had been indeede sent to him and complained in Pisoes behalfe that he was forbidden to visit him and that he excused himselfe with sickenes as being desirous of quietnes Why he should preferre the welfare of a priuat man before his owne safetie he had no cause Neither was his inclination much giuen to flatterie as Nero best knew who had oftner tried Senecaes libertie of speech then seruile pleasing When these speeches were brought back by the Tribune in presence of Poppaea and Tigellinus who was of the cruell Princes inward counsell he asketh whether Seneca prepared himselfe any voluntarie death The Tribune
affirmed he found no signes of feare in him nor token of sadnes in words or countenance and thereupon he was cōmanded to go back giue him warning he should die Fabius Rusticus doth report that he returned not the same way he came but turned aside to Fenius the captaine and hauing imparted vnto him Caesars commandement asked him whether he should obey it or not who aduised him to do his commandement which was a cowardlines fatall vnto them all for Siluanus was one of the conspirators and was now a furtherer of the crueltie to whose reuenge he had before consented yet he spared both his toong and presence and sent to Seneca one of the Centurions to denounce him the last necessitie He nothing amazed called for his testament and the Centurion denying it turned to his friends and said That seeing he was not suffered to requite their merites he protested he left them yet one thing which of all other he held most precious which was the patterne of his life of which if they were mindfull they should carry away the fame of good learning and of so constant friendship Withall hindereth their teares now with speech now more earnestly as it were rebuking them and calling them back to constancie Asking where were the precepts of wisedome where the resolution so many yeares premeditated against imminent dangers vnto whome was Neroes crueltie vnknowne neither did there remaine any thing to be done after he had murdered his mother and his brother but that he should adde the death of his bringer vp and maister When he had discoursed this or the like as it were in generall he imbraced his wife and hauing somwhat confirmed her against present feare prayeth intreateth her to temper her griefe lament no longer but in the contemplation of her former life spent in vertue beare the lack of her husband with honest comforts She on the contrary side assured him that she was resolued to dye and demaundeth the hand of the executioner Then Seneca loth to hinder her glory and deerely louing her least he should leaue her whome so tenderly he affectioned to the iniuries of others sayd I had taught the comforts of life but thou haddest rather the glory of death I will not enuie thy example let there be of this so short a death an equall constancie in both but thy renowme will be farre greater After which words they both cut the vaines of their armes at one time Seneca because his old bodie and leane with a slender diet gaue the bloud slow passage cut also the vaines of his legs and hams and being wearied with cruell torments least he should discourage his wife with his griefe and himselfe descend to impatiencie by seeing the torment she indured perswadeth her to go into another chamber And in the very last moment his eloquence not failing him calling some to dictat his speech deliuered many things which published in his owne words I purpose not to alter or change with other termes But Nero hauing no peculiar hatred against Paullina least the odiousnes of his crueltie should grow greater commaundeth her death to be hindered Whereupon her bonde and freede men at the souldiers commaundement bound her armes and stopt the bloud But whether she knew it or not is vncertaine for the common people being alwaies readie to speake the worst there wanted not some which beleeued that as long as she feared Nero to be implacable she sought to haue the glory of accompanying her husbands death then a milder hope offered that she was ouercome with the sweetenes of life vnto which she added a few yeeres after with a lawdable memorie towards her husband but her face and other parts of her bodie were growne so pale and wan that it easily appeared her vitall spirits were much diminished Seneca the meane time perceiuing himselfe to linger and pine away with a long death intreateth Statius Annaeus his knowne friend and expert Phisition to giue him of that poison with which the condemned by publick iudgement at Athens are put to death whereof long before he had made prouision which being brought him he dranke in vaine the parts of his bodie alreadie cold the conduits stopped against the force of poison In the end he went into a bath of hot water and sprinkling his slaues next about him saying That he offered vp that liquor to Iupiter the deliuerer Then put into the bath and with the vapour of it hauing yeelded vp the ghost was burnt without any funerall solemnitie as he had commaunded in his last will when very rich and in authoritie he disposed of his minde The report was that Subrius Flauius with the Centurions in secret counsell yet not without Senecaes priuitie had determined that after Nero should haue been slaine by the help of Piso Piso should also haue been slaine and the Empire deliuered Seneca as one iust and vpright chosen to that high authoritie only for the excellencies of his vertues yea and Flauius owne words were published to be these It skilleth not for the shame of the matter if a minstrell be remoued and an actor in a tragedie succeede him for as Nero had sung with the instrument so Piso in tragicall attire XV. Many souldiers punished Fenius death Flauius Subrius and Sulpitius Afers answere to Nero. THe conspiracie of the souldiers could be no longer kept close the detecters being very eager to bewray Fenius Rufus whom they could not indure should both be of counsell to the plot and an examiner of others Therefore vrging and threatning * Sceuinus shewing himselfe obstinate told him that no man knew more then himselfe and exhorted him that he would shew himselfe willing to requite so good a Prince Fenius could neither answere this nor hold his toong but entangling himselfe in his owne words shewed a manifest feare and the rest but especially Ceruarius Proculus a gentleman laboring all they could to conuict him by commandement of the Emperour Cassius a souldier which stoode by and was of exceeding strength of bodie laid hold on him and bound him Not long after by their appeaching Subrius Flauius Tribune was ouerthrowne first alleaging the dissimilitude of his maners and life for his defence and that he being a man of armes would neuer in so dangerous an enterprise associate himselfe with vnarmed effeminate persons after that farther prest imbracing the glory of confession and demaunded of Nero for what reasons he had proceeded so farre as to forget his oath I hated thee quoth he neither was there any of the souldiers more faithfull vnto thee then I whilest thou deseruedst to be loued I began to hate thee after thou becamest a parricide of thy mother and wife a wagoner a stage-player and a setter of houses a fire I haue reported his very words because they were not published as Senecaes were neither was it lesse conuenient to know the vnpolished but waightie words of this souldier It is certaine there hapned nothing in all that
absent their feare was greater many openly and more priuily obseruing the names and countenances cheerefulnes and heauines of the lookers on Whereupon punishments were inflicted vpon the poorer sort foorthwith the hatred against noble men dissembled for the time shewed it selfe within a short space after And it is reported that Vespasian was rebuked by Phoebus a freede man as though he had beene somewhat drousie with sleepe and was hardly defended by the intreatie of the better sort and afterward escaped imminent ruine by a greater chance II. The death of Poppaea Banishment and death of others AFter the pastime was ended Poppaea died by a sudden anger of her husbands striking her with his foote being with childe Neither do I beleeue that she was poisoned although some writers do so report of hatred rather than truth for he was desirous of children and blinded with the loue of his wife Her bodie was not burnt as the Roman manner was but embalmed according to the custome of forreine Kings stuffed with sweete odors and buried in the tombe of the Iulians Yet publicke funerals were solemnised and he himselfe praised her beautie before the people assembled that she had beene the mother of a diuine daughter and other gifts of fortune he commended in steed of vertues The death of Poppaea as in shew sorrowfull so to the remembrers of her loose life and crueltie ioyfull Nero made more odious by giuing new matter of hatred by hindering C. Cassius from being present at her exequies which was the first token of his ruine not long deferred And Silanus bare him companie for no crime committed but because Cassius for his auncient riches and grauitie of manners Silanus for noblenes of birth and modest youth were woorthie praise aboue the rest Hauing therefore sent an oration to the Senate declared that they were both to be remooued from the common-wealth And layd to Cassius charge that among the images of his auncestors he had done honour also to the image of C. Cassius which had this written vnder it To the Captaine of the parts For seedes of ciuill warre and a reuolt from the house of Caesars might haue beene intended by those words And least he should vse the memorie only of a hatefull name to ground a quarrell on he ioyned L. Silanus a yoong man of a noble stocke rash and headie vnder a pretence and colour of mouing newe broiles Further he rebuked Silanus for the same matters as before he had done his vncle Torquatus as though he did alreadie dispose of the cares of the Empire and giue his freed men charge of the accounts requests and secretariships things both vaine false For Silanus was warie fearfull and by the death of his vncle circumspect in his actions After this he induced some vnder the name of accusers which falsly charged Lepida Cassius wife Silanus aunt of incest with her brothers sonne and with certaine execrable rites of sacrifices There were drawen in as priuie thereto Vulcatius Tullinus and Marcellus Cornelius Senators and Calpurnius Fabatus a gentleman of Rome who appealing to the Prince and disappointing the present condemnation anon after Nero being busied about some great mischiefes were forgotten as men of small reckoning Then banishment was decreed against Cassius and Silanus by order of Senate and that Caesar himselfe should dispose of Lepida Cassius was exiled to the Iland Sardinia * exspecting their further order from the Lords of the Senate Silanus conueighed to Hostia as though he should be carried to Naxus was after shut vp in a towne of Apulia called Barium And there wiselie bearing his most vnwoorthie aduersitie a Centurion sent to kill him laying hands on him perswaded him to cut his vaines who answered that he had a minde resolute readie to die but he would not permit an executioner to haue the glorie of the seruice But the Centurion although seeing him vnarmed yet strong and more inclining to anger than feare commaunded his souldiers to dispatch him Neither did Silanus omit to resist and lay on blowes as well as he was able with naked hands vntill he fell downe ouermatched with the Centurions wounds on his face as it had beene in a skirmish With no lesse courage died L. Vetus and Sexia his mother in law and his daughter Pollutia hatefull to the Prince as though by liuing they should vpbraid him with the murder of Rubellius Plautus L. Vetus sonne in law But the first discouerer of his crueltie towards them was one Fortunatus a freed man of Vetus who hauing pilfred away his masters goods and fearing an enquirie began to accuse him associating Claudius Demianus with him who emprisoned by Vetus Proconsull of Asia for his misdeeds Nero deliuered in recompence of the accusation Which being vnderstood by the partie accused and that there was no difference made betwixt him and his freed man hedeparteth to Eormianum where a secrete guarde of souldiers watched him His daughter was with him who besides the imminent danger through long griefe fell and cruell as soone as she had seen the murderers of her husband Plautus grew to further extremitie and hauing cast herselfe about his necke embrued with blood kept still the blood and her apparell besprinkled with it remaining a widow drownd in continuall griefe vsing no other foode than was necessarie to keepe off death Then her father exhorting her she goeth to Naples And because she was kept from the speech of Nero lying in waite for his going abroad she cried alowde that it would please him to heare the innocent and not commit one who had beene his companion in the Consulship to the disposition of a freed man sometime with a womanish lamentation sometimes going beyond her sexe with angrie and bitter termes vntill the Prince shewed himselfe inflexible and no way mooued either with praiers or hatred he might incurre And warneth her father to cast away hope and resolue himselfe to the present necessitie Withall newes came that the matter should be heard before the Lords of the Senate and a cruell sentence intended Thereupon some aduised him to pronounce 〈…〉 ar his heire for the most part of his goods and so helpe his nephewes with the rest which he refused least he should dishonour with this last seruile acte his life past almost in libertie and gaue all his money among his bondmen and if any thing could be carried away that euerie one might serue himselfe three beds onely reserued for his funerall obsequies Then in the same chamber with the same knife they cut their vaines and with speed each one couered with a simple garment for modestie sake they were put into bathes The father looking on the daughter the grandmother on her neece she on both praying a-uie for a speedie end to leaue the others aliue though to follow incontinently after And fortune herein kept the order the eldest dying first then the next in age And being accused after their buriall and ordayned they should be punished according to