CHAP. VIII.
(Of Rome, 725—Of Christ, 11.)
After the death of Antony and Cleopatra, [1]Egypt was [2]reduced to the [3]form of a [4]province. Cæsar, in the year 725, [5]triumphed three times, for the [6]conquest of [7]Dalmatia, the victory at Actium, and the [8]reducing of Egypt. After which he [9]advised with Agrippa and Mecænas, either [10]seriously, or [11]pretendedly, about the [12]laying down of his [13]authority; Agrippa was for it, Mecænas against it; this last [14]advice he [15]resolved to follow, but [16]brought a [17]bill [18]nevertheless into the senate [19]to divest himself of his power, and by that [20]stratagem got it [21]secured to him both by the senate and the people, in the year 726.
[22]Cornelius Gallus, a [23]Roman [24]knight, [25]governor of Egypt, being [26]banished for his [27]insolence, slew himself. Augustus [28]carried on a war against the Cantabri and Austus for some years, by his [29]lieutenants: that is to say, from the year 729 to 735, in which they were entirely [30]reduced by Agrippa; who, upon his [31]return [32]refused a [33]triumph which was [34]offered him. [35]Phraates, king of the Parthians, about this time [36]restored the Roman [37]standards that had been [38]taken from Crassus.
For two of his [39]friends, Mecænas and M. Vipsanius Agrippa, he had a [40]particular [41]esteem above all others; the [42]former was a great [43]patron of [44]learning and [45]learned men. Augustus made Agrippa his [46]son-in-law, by [47]marrying his daughter Julia to him, whom he had by Scribonia. She had children, C. and L. Cæsars, Agrippa Posthumus, Agrippina married to Germanicus, Drusus’s son, Livia’s [48]grandson, and Julia, whom Æmilius married. He took Livia, when she was [49]big with child, by her former [50]husband Tiberius Nero, by whom he had no [51]issue, though she had by Nero, Tiberius, who was emperor afterwards, and Drusus who [52]died in Germany.
Tiberius having gotten the [53]tribunitial [54]power for five years, was [55]sent to [56]settle the [57]affairs of Armenia. Soon after he [58]retired to Rhodes, where, for fear of [59]falling under the [60]displeasure of his [61]step-sons, he [62]continued seven years. But the [63]occasion of his [64]retirement was his [65]aversion for his wife Julia, who [66]spent her time in all [67]manner of [68]debauchery. Augustus, upon a [69]discovery of her [70]pranks, [71]banished her.
The [72]age of this emperor [73]produced several great [74]men: amongst the [75]Greeks [76]Dionysius Halicarnassensis and [77]Nicholas Damascenus were [78]famous for their [79]talents in writing [80]history; and amongst the [81]Latins [82]Cornelius Nepos, Atticus’s [83]son-in-law, and Sallust, who died four years before the [84]battle of Actium. In this age lived likewise those [85]celebrated [86]poets, [87]Virgil, [88]Horace, [89]Ovid, [90]Tibullus, and [91]Propertius.
Augustus died at Nola, in Campania, in the 14th year of [92]Christ, and the 76th year of his age, having [93]held the empire by himself, from the death of M. Antony, forty-three years; he was an [94]excellent [95]prince, and [96]necessary for those times.
He was [97]succeeded by Tiberius, a prince of a [98]savage [99]disposition, and [100]given up to all manner of debauchery; he was the son of Livia by Nero. He [101]dissembled his [102]vices at the [103]beginning of his reign with [104]wonderful [105]art, through fear of Germanicus, his brother’s son, whom he had [106]adopted at the [107]command of his [108]father-in-law. For, as he [109]gained a great [110]reputation by his [111]virtues and [112]exploits in war, he was [113]looked upon with a [114]jealous eye, as [115]fitter for the empire than himself. He [116]removed him from Germany where he had [117]wonderful [118]success against the enemy, into the [119]East, to [120]fight against the Parthians, in the year 769, having sent at the same time Cn. Piso into Syria, between whom and Germanicus was a [121]mortal enmity. Wherefore Germanicus died, not without the [122]suspicion of having been [123]poisoned by him, for which being [124]prosecuted at Rome by Agrippina, the wife of Germanicus, he [125]prevented his [126]sentence by a [127]voluntary death.
[128]Ælius Sejanus, a Roman [129]knight, was afterwards [130]raised by Tiberius, who after a great many [131]wicked [132]actions, [133]aiming now at no less than the empire itself, was, by a [134]letter of Tiberius to the senate, [135]thrown from the [136]top of all his [137]grandeur, and died by the [138]hand of an [139]executioner, with all his [140]family, in the 18th year of Tiberius.
About the 18th year of his [141]reign, he [142]retired to Caprea, an [143]island on the [144]coast of Campania, with a [145]design of never returning to the town, where he [146]privately [147]wallowed in all manner of [148]debauchery, and died in the 23rd year of his reign, to the great [149]joy of every one, being then in the 78th year of his age.
[150]Jesus Christ, the son of God, was [151]born of the [152]Virgin Mary, in the reign of Augustus, and [153]crucified in that of Tiberius, being then thirty-three years of age.
Caius Cæsar Caligula, so [154]called from a [155]shoe [156]worn by the [157]soldiery, which, when a boy, he [158]wore in the camp, [159]succeeded Tiberius, being the son of Germanicus and Agrippina, the daughter of M. Agrippa and Julia. He was [160]entered into the five and twentieth year of his age. Great was the joy of the people upon his first [161]accession to the [162]throne, and no less were their [163]hopes that he would be [164]like Germanicus his father, who is said to have been [165]possessed of all the good [166]qualities of [167]body and [168]mind. And indeed as the worst of princes frequently [169]begin well, he gave many [170]signs of his [171]moderation and [172]regard to the good of the public. But soon after, as if he had [173]put off all [174]humanity, he [175]outstripped the most savage [176]creatures in [177]cruelty; and having made sad [178]havoc among all [179]ranks and [180]degrees of men, he [181]killed likewise Macro, [182]commander of the [183]prætorian [184]bands, by whose [185]means he had been made emperor. He also [186]committed [187]crimes with his sisters. Having in a year’s time [188]exhausted [189]immense [190]treasures that had been [191]left by Tiberius, he [192]fell to [193]proscribing and [194]plundering. Among other proofs of his cruelty, he was [195]heard to say, I [196]wish the Roman people had but one [197]neck. In all his [198]buildings, or public [199]works, he [200]effected what was [201]looked upon to be impossible. He [202]ordered himself to be [203]worshipped as a god throughout the [204]world, and [205]temples to be [206]erected to him. At last, he was slain by Chærea Cassius, [207]tribune of a [208]cohort of his [209]guards, and some others, who had [210]entered into a [211]plot against him, after he had [212]reigned three years, ten months, and eight days, and [213]lived twenty-nine years.
Claudius Nero, Caligula’s uncle, and the son of Drusius [214]reigned after him, [215]naturally no bad man, but [216]senseless and foolish. He was not naturally [217]cruel, but only so when [218]instigated by others, [219]especially by his [220]freedmen and his [221]wives, into whose hands he [222]gave up himself and his [223]affairs. His first lady was Messalina, whose [224]depravity and [225]dissoluteness every body [226]knew but himself; till at last [227]venturing to [228]marry one Silius, a knight, she was by her [229]husband’s order slain, together with her [230]paramour, at the [231]instigation of [232]Narcissus, who with [233]Pallas, another of his [234]freedmen, [235]ruled him entirely.
Another [236]instance of his [237]folly is, that after Messalina was [238]put to death, by whom he had his son [239]Britannicus, and Octavia, he married Agrippina Germanicus his brother’s daughter, the mother of Nero by [240]Domitius, in the ninth year of his reign, by the [241]advice of Pallas: at whose and Agrippina’s [242]request, he [243]adopted Nero, and [244]passing by Britannicus, [245]designed him for his [246]successor. He [247]banished the [248]Jews from Rome, and the [249]mathematicians out of Italy: and [250]undertaking an [251]expedition into [252]Britain, he [253]subdued it all in sixteen days time, as Dio says, in the third year of his reign. He died in the year of Christ 54, by [254]poison [255]put in a [256]mushroom by Agrippina. He reigned thirteen years eight months and twenty days, and lived sixty-four years.
Domitius Nero, [257]mounted the throne after the death of his [258]step-father, being then seventeen years of age. He at first, [259]behaved himself in such a manner, that he might be [260]reckoned among the best of [261]princes; that is, as long as he [262]listened to the [263]precepts of his [264]master Seneca. Afterwards, being [265]corrupted with [266]luxury and [267]flattery, he [268]became more like a [269]monster than a man. He [270]stopped the progress of the Parthians, who had [271]over-run Armenia, by Corbulo, a [272]gallant [273]commander, and a person of great [274]virtue and [275]authority, who [276]recovered Armenia, in the ninth year of Nero, and [277]obliged [278]Tiridates, Volegesis king of the Parthians brother, to [279]come to Rome, and to [280]beg his [281]crown of Nero, in the thirteenth year of Nero’s reign; in which year he [282]recalled Corbulo, and put him to death. He [283]destroyed Britannicus by [284]poison in the very [285]beginning of his reign. He likewise [286]ordered his mother Agrippina to be put to death, after having first [287]disgraced and [288]banished her from the [289]court, which [290]parricide, that nothing might be [291]wanting to [292]complete the [293]unhappiness of the times, the Senate [294]approved of. Afterwards having married Poppæa, whom he [295]took from Otho, he [296]banished Octavia, and at last put her to death. Upon the [297]discovery of a [298]plot, which Piso, and some others had [299]laid against him; he put to death the [300]poet Lucan, and Seneca the philosopher, with several others, in the year of Christ 65, and the same year he [301]kicked his wife Poppæa, when [302]pregnant, [303]to death. He had the [304]impudence to [305]appear upon the [306]stage, and [307]act amongst the [308]players and [309]harpers, and [310]ride [311]chariot-races at the [312]Circensian games; and to [313]represent for his [314]diversion the [315]appearance of [316]Troy in [317]flames, he [318]set fire to the city, and [319]imputed it to the [320]Christians. He [321]became so odious and [322]contemptible by his [323]villanies, that he was [324]forsaken by all, and being [325]sought for in order to be [326]punished, he [327]performed the [328]executioner’s [329]office upon himself, in the 14th year of his [330]reign, and 68th of our Lord.
A little before Nero’s death, [331]C. Julius Vindex, who was [332]proprætor of Gaul, [333]openly [334]rebelled, and [335]persuaded Sergius Galba, [336]governor of Spain, to [337]set up for emperor, which he accordingly did, and [338]put Vindex to death presently after. He reigned about seven months, being very [339]old. He was slain together with Piso, whom he had [340]adopted, after M. Silvius Otho was [341]proclaimed emperor; he reigned only about three months.
In the mean time, Vitellius [342]trusting to the [343]legions of Germany, which he [344]commanded in [345]quality of a [346]consular [347]lieutenant-general, [348]took upon him the [349]name of emperor, and [350]defeated Otho’s army in a [351]rencounter near [352]Bebriacum, who being [353]weary of a civil war, killed himself.
Vitellius reigned eight months after Otho, and was [354]succeeded by Vespasian, who had been [355]sent by Nero to [356]quell the [357]Jews. He reigned ten years with the greatest [358]justice and [359]clemency. He was a great [360]encourager of [361]learning and [362]learned men. The only thing that was [363]blamed in him, was his [364]covetousness, which he used to [365]excuse, by [366]alleging the [367]emptiness of the [368]Exchequer.
The war in [369]Judea was [370]finished in his time, to which he was sent by Nero, as we have [371]already [372]said. It was [373]begun by some [374]seditious [375]people that were [376]headed by Eleazar, the son of Ananias, the [377]high-priest, who [378]took up arms against the Romans, under the [379]pretence of [380]religion. Cestius Gallus, [381]lieutenant of Syria, [382]laid siege to [383]Jerusalem, but was [384]beaten off with great [385]slaughter in the 12th year of Nero. The [386]victorious Jews upon their [387]return to Jerusalem, amongst other generals, [388]made choice of [389]Josephus, the son of [390]Matthias for one. In the year of Christ 67, Vespasian, [391]carrying his arms through Galilee and Judea, [392]took, besides most of their towns, Josephus their [393]commander, who [394]foretold his [395]rise. At last, he [396]fell upon Jerusalem, the [397]metropolis of the [398]nation, which was taken by his son Titus, in the second year of his reign.
This [399]proved the [400]ruin of the nation, and of the very name of the Jews. The [401]calamity was indeed so [402]violent, and the [403]miseries they [404]suffered so [405]various, that it was [406]visible they were [407]punished for the [408]horrid [409]murder of the [410]only begotten son of God; for a [411]dreadful [412]famine [413]forced the [414]besieged to [415]live on human [416]flesh; mothers to [417]eat their own children; and eleven hundred thousand [418]persons (a thing hardly ever [419]heard of before), [420]perished in that [421]siege. The city was [422]finally [423]razed to the ground. Vespasian, in the third year of his reign [424]triumphed, with his son Titus, over the Jews; upon which he [425]shut up the [426]temple of [427]Janus. He [428]died in his ninth [429]consulship whilst he was [430]giving [431]audience to some [432]ambassadors, having lived sixty-nine years, one month and seven days, and reigned eight years.
Titus, who [433]succeeded his father, is [434]deservedly [435]ranked among the best [436]emperors, although before he [437]came to the [438]empire, he was [439]thought a man of a cruel [440]temper, [441]covetous, and [442]depraved. But upon his [443]advancement, he was so much [444]altered for the better, that he [445]deserved the [446]title of the [447]delight of [448]mankind. He was [449]remarkable for great [450]mildness, and [451]easy temper, and never [452]sent any one away [453]dissatisfied; and [454]remembering once at [455]supper that he had [456]done nobody any [457]kindness that day, he told all those who were about him that he had [458]lost a day. In his reign, in the year of Christ 80, there was a [459]dreadful [460]eruption of [461]flames and [462]ashes out of [463]mount Vesuvius, which [464]flew as far as Africa, Syria, and Egypt; and the two towns of Pompeii and [465]Herculaneum[A] were [466]utterly [467]ruined by it. This good emperor died in the year of Christ 81, two years and three months after he had [468]succeeded his father, and in the one and fortieth year of his [469]age, not without the [470]suspicion of having been [471]poisoned by his [472]brother Domitian.
[A] The Manuscripts, Vases, &c. &c. which within the last few years have been found among the ruins of these places, are in the present day objects of great curiosity and interest.
Titus was very much [473]lamented both by the senate and people: and their [474]concern for his death was very much [475]increased by his brother and [476]successor Domitian, the worst prince of all that [477]came before, or [478]followed after him. At first he made some [479]show of [480]clemency and [481]justice, but soon [482]discovered his [483]temper, and [484]imitated Nero in [485]cruelty, [486]rapine, and [487]debauchery. He [488]ordered himself to be [489]called God, and was at last [490]destroyed by means of a [491]plot, in the year of Christ 96, after he had reigned fifteen years.
FOOTNOTES
[1] Egítto
[2] ridótto
[3] forma
[4] província
[5] trionfáre
[6] conquísta
[7] Dalmázia
[8] sommíssione
[9] consigliársi
[10] seriaménte
[11] fintaménte
[12] depórsi
[13] autorità
[14] consíglio
[15] risólvere
[16] presentáre
[17] dimanda
[18] nonostánte
[19] per rassegnare
[20] stratagémma
[21] assicurársi
[22] Cornélio Gallo
[23] Románo
[24] cavaliére
[25] governatóre
[26] esiliáto
[27] insolenza
[28] fare
[29] luogotenénte
[30] sottomessi
[31] ritórno
[32] ricusáre
[33] triónfo
[34] esibíto
[35] Fraate
[36] restituíre
[37] stendárdo
[38] preso
[39] amíco
[40] particoláre
[41] stima
[42] primo
[43] protettóre
[44] sciénza
[45] sapiénte
[46] género
[47] dare per moglíe
[48] nipóte
[49] grávida
[50] maríto
[51] progénie
[52] moríre
[53] tribunízio
[54] potére
[55] mandáto
[56] regoláre
[57] affáre
[58] ritirársi
[59] cadere
[60] dispiacére
[61] figliástro
[62] continuáre
[63] cagióne
[64] ritiratézza
[65] avversióne
[66] passáre
[67] sorta
[68] dissolutézza
[69] scopérta
[70] stravagánza
[71] bandíre
[72] sécolo
[73] prodúrre
[74] uomo
[75] Greco
[76] Dionísio Alicarnasséno
[77] Nicóla Damascéno
[78] célebre
[79] talénto
[80] istória
[81] Latino
[82] Cornélio Nepóte
[83] género
[84] battáglia
[85] célebre
[86] poéta
[87] Virgilio
[88] Orázio
[89] Ovídio
[90] Tibúllo
[91] Propérzio
[92] Cristo
[93] tenúto
[94] eccellénte
[95] príncipe
[96] necessário
[97] succédere
[98] salvático
[99] indole
[100] abbandonáto
[101] nascóndere
[102] vizio
[103] princípio
[104] maraviglióso
[105] arte
[106] adottáto
[107] comándo
[108] suócero
[109] acquistáre
[110] riputazióne
[111] virtù
[112] fatto d’arme
[113] risguardáto
[114] gelóso
[115] próprio
[116] rimuóvere
[117] maraviglióso
[118] succésso
[119] Levánte
[120] battersi
[121] rancóre mortále
[122] sospétto
[123] avvelenáto
[124] proseguíto
[125] preveníre
[126] senténza
[127] volontário
[128] Elio Sejáno
[129] cavaliére
[130] innalzáto
[131] malvaggio
[132] azióne
[133] aspiráre
[134] léttera
[135] precipitáto
[136] colmo
[137] grandézza
[138] mano
[139] carnéfice
[140] famiglia
[141] regno
[142] ritirársi
[143] ísola
[144] costa
[145] intenzióne
[146] segretamente
[147] voltoláre
[148] dissolutézza
[149] allegrézza
[150] Gesù Cristo
[151] nato
[152] Vergine Mária
[153] crocefísso
[154] chiamáto
[155] scarpa
[156] portáto
[157] soldatésca
[158] portáre
[159] succédere
[160] entráto
[161] avveniménto
[162] trono
[163] speránza
[164] rassomigliáre
[165] dotáto
[166] qualità
[167] corpo
[168] mente
[169] principiáre
[170] segno
[171] moderazióne
[172] risguárdo
[173] spogliáto
[174] umanità
[175] superáre
[176] animále
[177] crudeltà
[178] strage
[179] rango
[180] grado
[181] uccídere
[182] capitáno
[183] pretóriano
[184] guardia
[185] mezzo
[186] comméttere
[187] delitto
[188] dato fondo all’
[189] imménso
[190] tesóro
[191] lasciáto
[192] cominciáre
[193] proscrívere
[194] sacchegiáre
[195] sentíto
[196] vorréi
[197] collo
[198] edifízio
[199] lavóro
[200] effettuáre
[201] stimáto
[202] farsi
[203] adoráre
[204] mondo
[205] témpio
[206] edificáre
[207] tribuno
[208] coorte
[209] guárdia
[210] fatto
[211] cospirazióne
[212] regnáto
[213] vissúto
[214] regnáre
[215] naturalménte
[216] insensáto
[217] crudéle
[218] istigáto
[219] sopratútto
[220] liberto
[221] moglie
[222] abbandonársi
[223] affáre
[224] sfrenatezza
[225] dissolutézza
[226] essere noto
[227] arrischiáre
[228] sposáre
[229] maríto
[230] drudo
[231] istigazióne
[232] Narcísso
[233] Pállade
[234] libérto
[235] governáre
[236] argoménto
[237] pazzía
[238] messo
[239] Británnico
[240] Domízio
[241] consíglio
[242] richiésta
[243] adottáre
[244] dimenticáre
[245] destináre
[246] successóre
[247] bandíre
[248] Giudéo
[249] matemático
[250] intrapréndere
[251] spedizióne
[252] Brettágna
[253] soggiogáre
[254] veléno
[255] messo
[256] fungo
[257] ascéndere
[258] patrígno
[259] comportársi
[260] annoveráto
[261] príncipe
[262] ascoltáre
[263] precétto
[264] maéstro
[265] corrótto
[266] lussúria
[267] adulazióne
[268] diventáre
[269] mostro
[270] arrestáre
[271] trascórrere
[272] valoróso
[273] capitáno
[274] virtù
[275] autorità
[276] ricuperáre
[277] obbligáre
[278] Tiridáte Vologéso
[279] veníre
[280] domandáre
[281] coróna
[282] richiamáre
[283] far moríre
[284] veléno
[285] princípio
[286] ordináre
[287] privatala degli onori
[288] bandíto
[289] corte
[290] parricídio
[291] mancáre
[292] compíre
[293] miséria
[294] approváre
[295] leváre
[296] esiliáre
[297] scopérta
[298] trama
[299] macchináto
[300] poéta Lucáno
[301] dare dei calci
[302] grávida
[303] in modo da farla morire
[304] sfacciatággine
[305] comparíre
[306] teátro
[307] recitáre
[308] commediánte
[309] suonatóre d’arpa
[310] fare
[311] corse di carro
[312] giuóchi Circénsi
[313] rappresentáre
[314] spasso
[315] apparénza
[316] Troja
[317] fiámma
[318] incendiáre
[319] imputáre
[320] Cristiáno
[321] diventáre
[322] sprezzábile
[323] scelleratézza
[324] abbandonáto
[325] cercáto
[326] castigáto
[327] eseguíre
[328] carnéfice
[329] uffício
[330] regno
[331] C. Giúlio Vindíce
[332] propretóre
[333] apertaménte
[334] ribellársi
[335] persuadére
[336] governatóre
[337] farsi
[338] méttere
[339] vécchio
[340] adottáto
[341] proclamáto
[342] confidársi
[343] legióne
[344] comandáre
[345] qualità
[346] consoláre
[347] luogotenénte
[348] préndere
[349] nome
[350] sconfíggere
[351] combattiménto
[352] Bebríaco
[353] stanco
[354] succedúto
[355] mandáto
[356] reprímere
[357] Giudéo
[358] giustízia
[359] cleménza
[360] promotóre
[361] sciénza
[362] sapiénte
[363] biasimáto
[364] cupidígia
[365] scusáre
[366] allegáre
[367] povertà
[368] erário
[369] Giudéa
[370] termináto
[371] già
[372] detto
[373] principiáto
[374] sedizióso
[375] gente
[376] comandáto
[377] gran sacerdóte
[378] prendere
[379] pretésto
[380] religióne
[381] luogotenénte
[382] assediáre
[383] Gierusalémme
[384] rispínto
[385] stráge
[386] vincitóre
[387] ritórno
[388] scégliere
[389] Giuséppe
[390] Máttia
[391] portáre
[392] pigliáre
[393] comandánte
[394] prédire
[395] elevazióne
[396] gettársi
[397] metrópoli
[398] nazióne
[399] cagionáre
[400] rovína
[401] calamità
[402] violento
[403] miséria
[404] soffríre
[405] differénte
[406] visíbile
[407] puníto
[408] orréndo
[409] omicídio
[410] unigénito
[411] terríbile
[412] fame
[413] forzáre
[414] assediáto
[415] vívere
[416] carne
[417] mangiáre
[418] persóna
[419] sentíto
[420] períre
[421] assédio
[422] finalménte
[423] spianáto
[424] trionfáre
[425] chiúdere
[426] témpio
[427] Giáno
[428] moríre
[429] consoláto
[430] dare
[431] udiénza
[432] ambasciadóre
[433] succédere
[434] meritaménte
[435] annoveráto
[436] imperatóre
[437] arriváre
[438] império
[439] credúto
[440] natúra
[441] aváro
[442] sensuále
[443] avanzaménto
[444] cambiáto
[445] meritáre
[446] títolo
[447] delízia
[448] génere umáno
[449] notábile
[450] benignità
[451] piacevolézza
[452] rimandare
[453] malconténto
[454] ricordársi
[455] cena
[456] fatto
[457] benefício
[458] perdúto
[459] spaventévole
[460] eruzione
[461] fiámma
[462] cénere
[463] Monte Vesúvio
[464] spargersi
[465] Ercoláno
[466] affátto
[467] distrútto
[468] succedúto
[469] età
[470] sospétto
[471] avvelenáto
[472] fratéllo
[473] compianto
[474] afflizióne
[475] accresciúto
[476] successóre
[477] precedere
[478] seguíre
[479] mostra
[480] cleménza
[481] giustízia
[482] scopríre
[483] natúra
[484] imitáre
[485] crudeltà
[486] rapína
[487] lussúria
[488] farsi
[489] chiamáre
[490] uccíso
[491] cospirazióne