whereupon, raising himself upon his feet, he expired in the arms of those who sustained him.
[Sidenote: A.D. 79.]
8. t.i.tus was joyfully received as emperor, and began his reign with the practice of every virtue that became a sovereign and a man. During the life of his father, there had been many imputations against him both for cruelty, l.u.s.t, and prodigality; but upon his exaltation to the throne, he seemed to have entirely taken leave of his former vices, and became an example of the greatest moderation and humanity.
9. His first step towards gaining the affections of his subjects, was the moderating of his pa.s.sions, and bridling his inclinations. 10. He discarded those who had been the ministers of his pleasures, though he had formerly taken great pains in the selection. 11. This moderation, added to his justice and generosity, procured him the love of all good men, and the appellation of the _Delight of Mankind_; which all his actions seemed calculated to insure.
12. Ti"tus took particular care to punish all informers, false witnesses, and promoters of dissension. Wretches who had their rise in the licentiousness and impunity of former reigns, were now become so numerous, that their crimes called loud for punishment. 13. Of these he daily made public example, condemning them to be scourged in the public streets, dragged through the theatre, and then banished into the uninhabited parts of the empire, or sold as slaves. 14. His courtesy and readiness to do good have been celebrated even by Christian writers; his princ.i.p.al rule being, not to send away a pet.i.tioner dissatisfied. One night, recollecting that he had done nothing beneficial to mankind during the day, he cried out, "I have lost a day!" A sentence too remarkable not to be had in remembrance.
15. In the first year of his reign, an eruption of Mount Vesu"vius overwhelmed many towns,[27] throwing its ashes into countries more than a hundred miles distant. Upon this memorable occasion, Pliny, the naturalist, lost his life; being impelled by too eager a curiosity to observe the eruption, he was suffocated in the flames. 16. This and other disasters were, in some measure, counterbalanced by the successes in Britain, under Agrico"la. This excellent general, having been sent into Britain towards the latter end of Vespasian"s reign, showed himself equally expert in quelling the refractory, and civilizing those who had formerly submitted to the Roman power. 17. The Ordovi"ces, or inhabitants of North Wales, were the first that were subdued. He then made a descent upon the isle of An"glesey, which surrendered at discretion. 18. Having thus rendered himself master of the whole country, he took every method to restore discipline to his whole army, and to introduce politeness among those whom he had conquered. He exhorted them, both by advice and example, to build temples, theatres, and stately houses. He caused the sons of their n.o.bility to be instructed in the liberal arts, and to be taught the Latin language; and induced them to imitate the Roman modes of dress and living. 19. Thus, by degrees, this barbarous people began to a.s.sume the luxurious manners of their conquerors, and even to outdo them in all the refinements of sensual pleasure. 20. Upon account of the successes in Britain, t.i.tus was saluted Impera"tor[28]
for the fifteenth time; but he did not long survive this honour, being seized with a violent fever at a little distance from Rome. He expired shortly after, but not without suspicion of treachery from his brother Domi"tian, who had long wished to govern. He died in the forty-first year of his age, having reigned two years, two months, and twenty days.
[Sidenote: A.D. 81.]
21. The beginning of Domi"tian"s reign was universally acceptable to the people, as he appeared equally remarkable for his clemency, liberality and justice.[29] 22. But he soon began to show the natural deformity of his mind. Instead of cultivating literature, as his father and brother had done, he neglected all kinds of study, addicting himself wholly to meaner pursuits, particularly archery and gaming. 23. He was so very expert an archer, that he would frequently cause one of his slaves to stand at a great distance, with his hand spread as a mark, and would shoot his arrows with such exactness, as to stick them all between his fingers. 24. He inst.i.tuted three sorts of contests to be observed every five years, in music, horsemanship and wrestling; but at the same time he banished all philosophers and mathematicians from Rome. 25. No emperor before him entertained the people with such various and expensive shows. During these diversions he distributed great rewards, sitting as president himself, adorned with a purple robe and crown, with the priests of Ju"piter, and the college of Fla"vian priests about him. 26. The meanness of his occupations in solitude, was a just contrast to his exhibitions of public ostentation. He usually spent his hours of retirement in catching flies, and sticking them through with a bodkin; so that one of his servants, being asked if the emperor were alone, answered, that he had not so much as a fly to bear him company. 27. His vices seemed every day to increase, and his ungrateful treatment of Agrico"la afforded a convincing proof of his natural malevolence. 28.
Domi"tian was always particularly fond of obtaining a military reputation, and therefore felt jealous of it in others. He had marched some time before into Gaul, upon a pretended expedition against the Catti, a people of Germany, and without even seeing the enemy, resolved to have the honour of a triumph upon his return to Rome. For that purpose he purchased a number of slaves, whom he dressed in German habits, and at the head of this miserable procession he entered the city, amid the apparent acclamations and concealed contempt of all his subjects.
_Questions for Examination_.
1. How did t.i.tus conduct himself after this important conquest?
2. How was he received at Rome?
3. What were the most remarkable among the spoils?
4. What peculiarity attended this triumph?
5. What was the character of Vespasian?
6. How many years did Vespasian reign?
7. Did he not display great resolution at the hour of death?
8. How did t.i.tus commence his reign?
9. By what means did he gain the love of his subjects?
10. What sacrifices did he make for this purpose?
11. Did he succeed in his views?
12. What cla.s.s of delinquents met his most decided disapprobation?
13. What punishment was inflicted on them?
14. What were his chief virtues?
15. What remarkable event occurred in this reign, and what eminent personage became its victim?
16. By what successes was this disaster counterbalanced?
17. What were his first enterprizes?
18. What methods did he take to civilize the conquered countries?
19. Were his measures successful?
20. Did t.i.tus long enjoy the glory of this conquest?
21. How did Domitian commence his reign?
22. Did he persevere in his meritorious conduct?
23. In what exercise did he excel?
24. Did he encourage the arts and sciences?
25. Was he magnificent in his exhibitions?
26. How did he employ himself in private?
27. Did time render him less vicious?
28. By what means did he attempt to acquire military fame?
SECTION XI.
What wretch would groan Beneath the galling load of power, or walk Upon the slippery pavements of the great!--_Somerville._
1. The success of Agric"ola in Britain affected Domit"ian, with an extreme degree of envy. This excellent general pursued the advantages which he had already obtained; he subdued the Caledo"nians, and overcame Gal"gacus, the British chief, who commanded an army of thirty thousand men; afterwards sending out a fleet to scour the coast, he discovered Great Britain to be an island. He likewise discovered and subdued the Orkneys; and thus reduced the whole into a civilized province of the Roman empire. 2. When the account of these successes was brought to Domitian, he received it with a seeming pleasure, but real uneasiness. He thought Agric"ola"s rising reputation a tacit reproach upon his own inactivity; and instead of attempting to emulate, he resolved to suppress the merits of his services. 3. He ordered him, therefore, external marks of approbation, and took care that triumphal ornaments, statues, and other honours should be decreed him; but at the same time he removed him from his command, under a pretence of appointing him to the government of Syria. 4. By these means Agric"ola surrendered up his province to Sallus"tius Lucul"lus, but soon found that Syria was otherwise disposed of. Upon his return to Rome, which was privately and by night, he was coolly received by the emperor; and dying some time after in retirement, it was generally supposed that his end was hastened by Domi"tian"s direction.
5. Domi"tian soon found the want of so experienced a commander, in the many irruptions of the barbarous nations that surrounded the empire.
The Sarma"tians in Europe, joined with those of Asia, made a formidable invasion, at once destroying a whole legion, and a general of the Romans. The Da"cians, under the conduct of Dece"balus, their king, made an irruption, and overthrew the Romans in several engagements. 6. At last, however, the barbarians were repelled, partly by force, and partly by the a.s.sistance of money, which only served to enable them to make future invasions with greater advantage. 7. But in whatever manner the enemy might have been repelled, Domi"tian was resolved not to lose the honours of a triumph. He returned in great splendour to Rome; and, not contented with thus triumphing twice without a victory, he resolved to take the surname of German"icus, for his conquests over a people with whom he never contended.
8. In proportion as the ridicule increased against him, his pride seemed every day to demand greater homage. He would permit his statues to be made only of gold and silver; he a.s.sumed to himself divine honours; and ordered that all men should address him by the same appellations which they gave to the Divinity. 9. His cruelty was not inferior to his arrogance; he caused numbers of the most ill.u.s.trious senators and others to be put to death, upon the most trifling pretences. One ae"lius La"ma was condemned and executed only for jesting, though there was neither novelty nor poignancy in his humour.
Occea"nus was murdered only for celebrating the nativity of O"tho.
Pomposia"nus shared the same fate, because it was foretold by an astrologer that he should be emperor. Sallus"tius Lucul"lus his lieutenant in Britain, was destroyed only for having given his name to a new sort of lances of his own invention. Ju"nius Rus"ticus died for publishing a book, in which he commended Thra"sea and Pris"cus, two philosophers, who opposed Vespa"sian"s coming to the throne.
10. Lu"cius Anto"nius, governor of Upper Germany, knowing how much the emperor was detested at home, resolved upon striking for the throne; and accordingly a.s.sumed the ensigns of imperial dignity. 11. As he was at the head of a formidable army, his success remained a long time doubtful; but a sudden overflow of the Rhine dividing his army, he was set upon at that juncture by Norman"dus, the emperor"s general, and totally routed. The news of this victory, we are told, was brought to Rome by supernatural means, on the same day that the battle was fought. 12. Domi"tian"s severity was greatly increased by this short-lived success. In order to discover the accomplices of the adverse party, he invented new tortures: sometimes cutting off the hands--at other times thrusting fire into the bodies of those whom he suspected of being his enemies. 13. In the midst of these severities, he aggravated his guilt by hypocrisy--never p.r.o.nouncing sentence without a preamble full of gentleness and mercy. The night before he crucified the comptroller of his household, he treated him with the most flattering marks of friendship, and ordered him a dish of meat from his own table. He carried Areti"nus Cle"mens with him in his own litter the day he resolved upon his death. 14. He was particularly terrible to the senate and n.o.bility, the whole body of whom he frequently threatened to extirpate entirely. At one time he surrounded the senate-house with his troops, to the great consternation of the senators. At another, he resolved to amuse himself with their terrors in a different manner. 15. Having invited them to a public entertainment, he received them all very formally at the entrance of his palace, and conducted them into a s.p.a.cious hall, hung round with black, and illuminated by a few melancholy lamps, that diffused no more light than was just sufficient to show the horrors of the place.
All around were to be seen coffins, with the names of each of the senators written upon them, together with other objects of terror, and instruments of execution. 16. While the company beheld all these preparations with silent agony, several men having their bodies blackened, each with a drawn sword in one hand, and a flaming torch in the other, entered the hall, and danced round them. 17. After some time, when, from the knowledge of Domi"tian"s capricious cruelty, the guests expected nothing less than instant death, the doors were set open, and one of the servants came to inform them, that the emperor gave all the company leave to withdraw.
18. His cruelties were rendered still more odious by his avarice. 19.
The last part of the tyrant"s reign was more insupportable than any of the preceding. Ne"ro exercised his cruelties without being a spectator; but a princ.i.p.al part of the Roman miseries, during his reign, was to behold the stern air and fiery visage of the tyrant, which he had armed against sensibility by continued intemperance, directing the tortures, and maliciously pleased with adding poignance to every agony.
20. But a period was soon to be put to this monster"s cruelties. Among the number of those whom he at once caressed and suspected, was his wife, Domi"tia, whom he had taken from ae"lius La"ma, her former husband. 21. It was the tyrant"s method to put down the names of all such as he intended to destroy, in his tablets, which he kept about him with great circ.u.mspection. Domi"tia fortunately happening to get a sight of them, was struck at finding her own name in the catalogue of those destined to destruction. 22. She showed the fatal list to Norba"nus and Petro"nius, praefects of the praetorian bands, who found themselves among the number of devoted victims; as likewise to Steph"a.n.u.s, the comptroller of the household, who came into the conspiracy with alacrity. They fixed upon the eighteenth day of September for the completion of their great attempt. 23. Upon the emperor"s preparing to go to the bath on the morning of that day, Petro"nius his chamberlain came to inform him that Steph"a.n.u.s desired to speak upon an affair of the utmost importance. The emperor having given orders that his attendants should retire, Steph"a.n.u.s entered with his hand in a scarf, which he had worn thus for some days, the better to conceal a dagger, as none were permitted to approach the emperor with arms. 24. He began by giving information of a pretended conspiracy, and exhibited a paper, in which the particulars were specified. While Domi"tian was reading the contents with eager curiosity, Steph"a.n.u.s drew his dagger and struck him with much violence; but the wound not being mortal, Domi"tian caught hold of the a.s.sa.s.sin and threw him upon the ground, calling out for a.s.sistance.
But Parthe"nius, with his freedman, a gladiator, and two subaltern officers, now coming in, they ran furiously upon the emperor and dispatched him: Steph"a.n.u.s, however, was slain by the guards, but the other conspirators escaped in the tumult.
25. It is rather incredible, what some writers relate concerning Apollo"nius Tyane"us, who was then at Ephesus. This person, whom some call a magician, and some a philosopher, but who more probably was only an impostor, was, just at the minute in which Domi"tian was slain, lecturing in one of the public gardens of the city; but stopping short, on a sudden he cried out, "Courage, Steph"a.n.u.s, strike the tyrant!" then, after a pause, "Rejoice, my friends, the tyrant dies this day;--this day do I say?--the very moment in which I kept silence he suffered for his crimes! He dies!"