THE LIFE DEATH OF Julius Caesar The first Founder of the ROMAN EMPIRE AS ALSO The LIFE and DEATH OF Augustus Caesar In whose Raign our Blessed LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIT was borne By Sa. Clarke sometime Pastor in St. Bennet Finck London LONDON Printed for William Miller at the Guilded Acorn in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door 1665. THE LIFE DEATH OF Julius Caesar The first Founder of the ROMAN EMPIRE JUlius Caesar by the Fathers side was of a very Noble and ancient Family and by the Mothers side he descended from the Kings of Rome who were extracted from the Trojan Aeneas When he was a young man Sylla having gotten the Lordship of Rome would have had him put away his Wife Cornelia who was the Daughter of Cinna the Dictator but he could not prevaile with him either by promises or threats to do it whereupon he took away her joynter from him Sylla being very busie in puting to Death many of his enemies yet passed by Caesar whom he contemned for his youth And Caesar was not contented to retire himself in safety inthose stormy times but came and made suite to the People for the Priesthood which was then void when he had scant any haire on his face but by Syllas means he suffered a repulse who was so irritated hereby that he determined to have killed him and when some of Syllas Friends told him that it was to no purpose to put so young a man to Death he answered That they did not consider that there were many Marius's in that one Boy Caesar being informed of his danger secretly fled from Rome and hid himself a long time amongst the Sabines wandering from one place to another yet at length he fell into the hands of a party of Syllas Souldiers who soughtfor him but he bribed their Captain with two Talents and so escaped Then went he unto the Sea side and taking Ship he passed into Bythinia unto King Nicomedes And after a while he took Sea again and fell into the hands of some Pirates who at that time kept all the Sea-coast with a great Fleet. They asking him twenty Talents for his Ransom Caesar laughed them to scorne as not knowing what a man they had taken and of himself promised them fifty Talents and sent some of his men to get him this money so that he was almost left alone amongst these Theeves which were the cruellest Butchers in the world having onely one of his Friends and two Slaves with him Thus he continued thirty eight dayes amongst them not as a Prisoner but rather waited upon as a Prince by them For he boldly exercised himself amongst them in their sports He would make Orations and call them to gether to hear them and if they seemed not to understand or regard them he would call them Blockheads and Beasts and laughing would threaten to hang them and they took all in good part thinking that it proceeded from his Boyish simplicity When his Ransome was come he paid it them and so was dismssied and presently arming and manning some Ships out of the Haven of Miletum he followed these Theeves and finding them yet at Anchor he took most of them and got a great Booty and carryed there persons to the City of Pergamus and there imprisoned them whilst himself went to Jumus the Governour of Asia to whom the execution of these Pirates did belong But he desiring to get the money because there was good store of it said that he would consider of these Prisoners at better leasure Caesar hereupon returned back to Pergamus and there hung up all these Theeves openly upon the Crosse as he often had threatened that he would doe when they thought that he was but in jest When Sylla's power began to decay Caesars Friends wrote to him to returne to Rome But he first went to Rhodes to study there for a time under the Tuition of Apollonius an honest man and excellent Rethorician whose Schollar also Cicero had been Caesar had an excellent gift to speak well naturally which was much holpen by his Studies so that he was very eloquent and might have been second to none but that he applied himself rather to follow the Wars and to mannage great matters than to pleading of causes When he was returned again to Rome he immediately wan the good willof the People by his Eloquence and courteous speaking to every man being more ceremonious in his deportment than could be expected from one of his years Besides he ever kept a good Table and fared well and was very liberall which much encreased his estimation with the people And his enemies presuming that when he could not hold out that charge and expence the favour of the People would quickly decay they suffered him to go on till by degrees he was grown very great and powerfull So that though some of them foresaw that his power would at last turne to the destruction of the Commonwealth of Rome yet now they knew not how to provent it Indeed Cicero was the first man who mistrusting his dealings found out his subtilty and malice which he cuningly cloaked under a shew of curtesie and familiarity Yet said he When I consider how finely he combeth his fair bush of haire and how smooth it lyeth and that I see him scratch his Head with one finger my mind gives me then that such a man should not be so wicked as to designe the ruine of the common-wealth The first time that he made proofe of the good will of the People was when he stood in competition with Pompey to be chosen a Collonel of a thousand Foot Souldiers and carryed it against him but a more manifest proof of it was at the Deathof his Aunt Julia the Wifeof Marius the elder For then he solemnly made an Oration in her commendations in the Market place and at her Buriall did boldly shew forth the Images of Marius which was the first time that they were seen after Syllas Victory over him at which time Marius and all his partakershad been proclaimed Traytors and enemies to the Commonwealth And whereas some cryed out upon Caesar for doing it the Poeple on the other side applaudded and thanked him him for it And whereas there was an ancient custome that the Romans used to make Funerall Orations in commendation of old Ladys but not of young Women Caesar was the first that praised his own Wife in an Oration at her funerall which much engaged the People to him seeing him of so kind and loving a nature Shortly after he was made Treasure under Antistius Vetus the Praetor for which he ever after honoured him so that when he himselfe came to be Praetor he made his Son Treasurer under him and when he came out of that Office he married his third Wife whom was Pompeia and married his Daughter Cornelia which he had by his first Wife to Pompey
shut for some Nations of the Germans rebelled so that it was again opened These were the Inhabitants of Noricum now Bavaria and the Pannonia's now Austria and Hungary and the two Missia's now Bulgary and Servia as also Illyricum now Sclavonia and the Province of Dacia now Transylvania and Walachia and some others though at severall times Against these Augustus sent his Generals and Armies amongst which were his Sons in Law the Sons of Livia Tiberius Nero who succeeded him in the Empire and his Brother Drusus Nero of whom Livia was with child when Octavian married her and these two Brothers though the War lasted somewhat long vanquished those Nations and obtained great Victories in Germany and the confines thereof especially Tiberius who in three years space subdued the Pannonia's Illyricum and Dalmatia for which Victories he afterwards entered into Rome in an Ovation Triumph with great Pomp and honour Marcus Crassus also overcame and put to flight the Missians a People who had never seen the Romans before And when they were ready to give Battell they said Tell us who you are that seek to molest and disquiet us We are said they Romans the Lords of Nations whereupon they replyed It shall be so if you overcome us which fell out accordingly But Augustus obtained not these Victories without some crosses For in these Wars dyed his Son in Law Drusus who was highly esteemed for his Noble acts and grear Victories for the losse of whom both Augustus and Livia were much afflicted But yet his griefe was greater for the mishap which befell Quintilius Varro who was Generall of three Legions in Germany and being carelesse was surprized by the Almans and himself his Legions and all his Auxiliaries were slaine and two Standards with the Emperiall Eagles taken for which he was so immoderately grieved that he knocked his Head against the Wall and cryed out unadvisedly Quintilius Varro Give me my Legions again For certaine moneths also he suffered the haire of his Head and Beard to grow carlesly And the very day of this unhappy accident he did every year observe mournfully with sorrow and lamentation Of his Son in Law Drusus there remained two Sons Germanicus and Claudius which he had by Antonia Augustus his Neece and Daughter of his Sister Octavia and Mark Anthony of which Claudius was Emperour And Germanicus married Agrippina the Daughter of Julia Augustus his Daughter by whom he had Caius Caligula who also was afterwards Emperour Augustus after many notable Victories compelled his enemies at length to sue for Peace whereupon again he commanded the Temple of Janus to be shut up and from thenceforth all things succeeded prosperonsly with him The Subjects of the Empire were now very obedient to him and all other sent their Ambassadours seeking his favour and Friendship The Indians in the remotest parts of the East and the Scythians that inhabited the North and the Parthians an untamed People sent their Ambassadours to him giving security to keep the Peace and restoring to him the Standards and Eagles which were taken when Marcus Crassus was slaine There came also Kings who were Friends and Subjects to the Roman Empire to do him Homage laying aside their Ensignes and Royall Robes and many of them built Cities to his Name and for his honour calling them Caesaria So did Herod the Great in Palestine King Juba in Mauritania and others The World being thus at Peace and quietnesse forty and two years being expired since that Augustus after the Death of Julius Caesar came to Rome in the time of this generall Peace was the Prince of Peace our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ borne in Bethlem of the Virgin Mary Herod being King of Judaea placed there by the Romans of whose blessed Life and bitter Death as also of the order of his Ministery and Miracles see his Life published by me Anno Christi 1664. At which time their came forth a command from Caesar Augustus that all the Roman World should be taxed which taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria Luck 2. 1. Out of which a little Book was made by Augustus in which all the publick Riches were contained as also how many Citizens and Allies in Armes what Navies How many Kingdomes and Provinces what Tribute and Customs there were what necessary charges and Pensions went out Shortly after Augustus was called Lord by the People but he did not only refuse that Title but forbad it by a publick Edict Augustus enjoying so great prosperity was yet nothing altered in his qualities and behaviour as often it happens in other Princes but rather became more mild just and affable more courteous liberall and temperate He established very good Laws and orders for the reformation of abuses and evill customes He erected both within and without Rome many stately and sumptuous Edifices which made him to boast concerning Rome Latericiam inveni Marmoream reliqui I found it built with Brick and left it built with Marble He bestowed great gifts and favours upon all sorts of People He delighted the People with Feasts and Playes of sundry kinds going himself in person to honour them He sent Colonies into sundry parts and Provinces He made excellent good Orders for the Governours and Government of the whole Empire The like he did also for the Wars and Martial Discipline He shewed himself loving and sociable to his Friends and Familiars whom he honoured and loved much Some conspiracies against him which were discovered he punished without rigour being more prone to pardon than to punish Of murmurings and defamatory Libels he never desired to know the Authours but answered them with gravity giving satisfaction and purging himself from those things which were charged upon him He was much addicted to and affected with learning and himself was very learned and eloquent and compiled some notable Books He much honoured and rewarded wise and learned men yet he escaped not the tainture of some vices growing through humaine frailty and his great liberty especially he was much given to Women though in his diet apparel and ornaments he was very sparing and modest He gave himself also excessively to play at Dice and other Games then in use Thus though in many things he was very happy yet besides his troubles and dangers he was very unhappy in his Children and Successours For by his four Wives to whom he was married he had only one Daughter called Julia by his third Wife Scribonia and she proved exceeding Wanton and unchast yea she left nothing undone in luxury and lust which was possible for a woman to do or suffer accounting every thing lawfull that pleased her Yea she came to that heigth of laciviousnesse that she kept her feasting even in the Courts of Justice abusing those very places with lascivious acts in which her Father had made Laws against Adulterers Hereupon her Father was so enraged that he could not contain his anger within his
notwithstanding many were discontented yet some for love others for fear and out of dissimulation both Senate and People yea all in generall gave him Names preheminences and Titles of Honour such as never had been given to any other man before him neither ought to have been accepted by him and many were the more offended because they knew that he affected and desired them They gave him the name of Emperour Father Restorer and Preserver of his Country They made him perpetuall Dictator and Consul for ten years and perpetuall Censor of their manners His Statue was erected and set up amongst the Kings of Rome and a Chair and Throne of Ivory was set up for him in the Temple and in the Senate House and an high Throne in the Theater and in the place where the Senators did use to sit His Pictures and Statues were set up in the Temples and in all publick places Some Titles they gave him and he accepted of which were pecular to the Gods The moneth formerly callad Quintile they called Julius after his name They also built and consecreated Temples to him as they did to Jupiter and the other Gods and gave him certaine Honours which they held proper for their Gods and did him many other honours exceeding all measure Julius Caesar enjoying such honour and power so that he had no equall no second in the World with whom he might contend it seemed that he would contend with himself and attempt something wherein he might excell himself For he was not contented with all the Victories which he had obtained neither to have fought fifty severall Battels in all which he was Victorious save in that one at Dirrachium against Pompey neither to have slaine in the Wars and Battels which he fought a Million ninety and odd thousands of men besides those which were slaine in the Civil Wars But being of a most haughty mind he sought to do greater matters if greater could be For first he resolved to passe into the East there to conquer and subdue the fierce Nations of the Parthians and to revenge the death of Marcus Crassus and from thence to passe through Hyrcania and other Countries till he should come to the Caspian Sea and so through all the parts of Scythia Asiatica and passing the River Tanais to returne through Scythia into Europe and in his retreat to come into Germany and other Countries bordering thereupon conquering and subjecting all to the Roman Empire For which end he presently caused to be levied in severall places ten thausand Horsemen and sixteen Legious of chosen Footmen and appointing the time wherein he intended to begin his journey he commanded them to repaire to their Rendevouz He sought also not onely to subdue all Nations but to correct and reforme even nature it self For he purposed to have made an Island of Peloponesus now called Morea by cutting the neck of land between the Egaean and the Jonian Seas He purposed also to have altered the courses of the River Tiber and Anian and to have made there new channels capable of bearing great Ships He ordered the digging down and levelling many high Hils and Mountaines in Italy and to dry up and dreine great Lakes and Marishes therein He corrected the computation of the year reforming it according to the course of the Sun and brought it into that order wherein it now is He did the like about the course of the Moon and her conjunctions and oppositions to the Sun and this was attributed to him for Tyranny by those that hated him Many others things Caesar did which were very remarkable in reforming the Laws customes and Offices He reedified the ruined City of Carthage in Africk and sent thither Colonies and Roman Citizens to Inhabit it the like he did by Corinth But all these works with his high conceits and undertakings were prevented by his unexpected and immature Death which within a few Dayes after ensued A few men and those unarmed bereft him of his Life whom no former forces could resist For five moneths only he lived as Soveraign Lord in Peace when those in whom he reposed greatest trust conspired his Death Some say that Caesars was counselled to have a Guard about him alwayes to which he answered that he would have none for that he had rather die once then live continually in feare They which conspired his death were stirred up thereto either out of hatred to his Person or desire of Liberty accounting him for a Tyrant or out of suspition that he would have made himself a King a thing in the highest degree hatefull to the Romans and lastly because he begun to contemne others For he used to say that the Commonwealth was but a voice and name without a Body or Substance and that Sylla was a Fool for resigning his perpetuall Dictatorship All the whole Senate comming one Day to the Temple of Venus where he was he sat still and rose not up as formerly he used to do His Friends also and Favourites began to report that in the Books of the Sybils which in Rome were had in great Veneration it was written that the Parthians could never be overcome but by a man that should have the Title of a King and therefore he laboured that Caesar should take upon him that Title before his Parthian War and though he seemed to be displeased at it yet they suspected the contrary and their suspition was encreased for that whereas the Tribunes of the People had caused a man to be imprisoned who had set a Crown upon the Head of one of Caesars Statues he was so encensed against the Tribunes that did it that he deposed them from their Office And not long after when Mark Anthony who was his great fovourite and that year his fellow Consul being at some publick Games came to Caesar and put a Crown upon his Head though he threw it down yet they all imagined that Mark Anthony would not have presumed to have done it without his good liking and that he did it but to prove the People how they would like it these and such like passages gave them occasion to desire and designe his Death They were also further encouraged hereunto for that in sundry publick places certain writings were set up which did intice and animate them to conspire against him as upon the Statue of Brutus who in ancient times did chase the Kings out of Rome were written these words Would to God thou wert now living Brutus And upon the Image of Marcus Brutus who then was Praetor and descended from the former Brutus were these words Thou sleepest long Brutus Truly thou art not Brutus And again Thou art dead Brutus Would to God thou wert living Thou art unworthy of the succession from the Brute Surely thou art not descended from the good Brutus and such like other writings were set upon these Statues So as for these and such like reasons there were seventy of the most eminent
Horsemen but presently from thence they went to seize upon the Capitol crying by the way as they went Liberty Liberty and imploring the favour and assistance of the People The rest of that day and all the next night Mark Anthony and Lepidus who took Caesars part were in Armes and there passed sundry massages and treaties between them and the Conspirators At last it was agreed that the Senate should sit whither Brutus and Cassius came M. Anthonies Sons by the perswasion of Cicero a great lover of Liberty remaining as Hostages for them In the Senate they Treated of Peace and concord and that all that was past should be buried in perpetuall oblivion whereunto Anthony who was Consul and the whole Senate agreed and the Provinces being divided there was algreat liklihood of Peace For the Senate approved and commended the murther and the People dissembled their thoughts For on the one side the authority of Brutus and Cassius and the name of Liberty seemed to give them some content and on the other side the hainousnesse of the fact and the love they bare to Caesar did move and excite them to hate the murtherers and so all was quiet for the present But Mark Anthony who affected the Tyranny took every oportunity to incense the People against them and Caesars Testament being opened wherein besides the adopting of his Nehpew Octavius and making him his Heire besides other bequests he bequeathed to the People of Rome certaine Gardens and Lands neere to the River of Tiber and to every Citizen of Rome a certaine summe of money to be devided amongst them which being known much encreased their love to Caesar and made his death more grievous to them Caesars Funerall being agreed upon his Body was burnt with great solemnity in the Field of Mars and Mark Anthony made the Funerall Oration in his Praise and took the Robe wherein Caesar was slaine being all bloudy and shewed it to the People using such speeches as provoaked them both to wrath aud commiseration so as before the Funerall solemnity was fully finished they all departed in great fury taking Brands in their hands from the fire wherein Caesar was burned and went to burnethe Houses of Brutus and Cassius and if they could have found them and the rest of the Conspirators they would certainly have slaine them and in their fury they unadvisedly slew Elius Cinna by mistaking him for Cornelius Cinna who was one of the Conspirators This tumult put Brutus and Cassius and their confederates into such feate that they all fled from Rome into severall parts and though the Senate having appeased the tumult inflicted punishment upon some of the seditions and had already committed some of them to Prison yet Brutus and Cassius durst not return to Rome but after a while went into Greece to Govern those Provinces which Caesar in his Life time had allotted unto them which were Macedonia to Brutus and Syria to Cassius And truly this was very remarkable that within the space of three years all the Conspirators dyed and not one of them of a naturall death Caesar in his fifth and last Consulship made an Edict that thanks should be ruturned to Hyrcanus the High-Priest and Prince of the Jewes and to the Nation of the Jewes for their affection to himself and the People of Rome And decreed also that the said Hyrcanus should have the City of Jerusalem and repair the Walls of it which Pompey had beaten down and should Govern it as he pleased himself He also granted to the Jewes that every second year there should an abatement be made out of their rents and that they should be free from Impositions and Tributes His Name of Caesar was so honourable that all his successors to this present day have assumed it into their Title and esteem it an honour to be called Caesars FINIS THE LIFE DEATH OF OCTAVIANUS AUGUSTUS In whose Raign our LORD CHRIST was born _ 〈◊〉 Caesar who was afterwards called Octavianus Augustus was by the Fathers side descended of the Antient Family of the Octavij which was of great account in Rome even from the time of Tarquin their King By the Mothers side he was descended from the Regall Line His Mother was Accia the Daughter of Accius Balbus and Julia the Sister of Julius Caesar which Accia was married to the Father of Octavius He was born in the year of the Consulship of Cicero and Caius Antonius He was but four years old when his Father dyed and at twelve years old he made an Oration at the Funerall of his Grandmother Julia. When his Uncle Julius Caesar was Warring in Spain against the Sons of Pompey Octavius though he was but young followed him thither through many and great dangers and when that War was ended Julius Caesar intending to take him with him to the Parthian War sent him before to the City of Apollonia where he plyed his Book very diligently and on a time having a minde to see Theogenes a learned Astronomer he calculated his Nativity and promised him great matters which made Octavius conceive great hopes of himself and in memory thereof he caused certain Medals to be coined and would often boast of what Theogenes had told him Octavius in the sixth moneth after he went to Apollonia having intelligence from his Mother of the Death of his Uncle Julius Caesar he hasted out of Epirus to Brundusium where he was received by the Army that went to meet him as the adopted Son of Caesar and without any further delay he assumed the name of Caesar and took upon him to be his Heire and that so much the rather because he had brought with him good store of money and great forces that were sent him by his Uncle and so at Brundusium adopting himself into the Julian Family he called himself Caius Julius Caesar Octavius To this very Name as though he had been his true Son there came great store of partly of his Friends partly of freed men slaves and Souldiers by whom being more strengthened and imboldned by the multitude of them that flocked to him and by the authority of the Caesarian name which with the common People was in great reputation he took his journey towards Rome with a great traine which daily increased like a Floud On the fourteenth Kalends of May he entered into Naples where he gave Cicero a visit From thence as he was going to Rome there met him a vast company of his Friends and as he entered the City the Globe of the Sun seemed to compasse his Head round like unto a Bow as it were putting a Crown upon his Head who afterward was to be so great a man and at night calling together his Friends he commanded them to be ready the next morning with good store of followers to meet him in the Market-place which was done accordingly and he going to Caius the City Praetor and Brother to Anthony he told him that