Select Observations of Roman Emperors 2, Part 1 · Emperor 12
Choyce Observations OF FLAVIVS DOMITIANVS.
HE was called Domitian from his Mother Domitilla, Titus cognomine paterno dictus Vespasianus, alter frater cognomine materno à Domitil…a Domitianus est appellatus. Casau.as Titus (his Brother) was called Vespasian from his Father.
He was Associate to his Brother Titus in government during his life, and after his death was his Successour.
Perceiving many of his Predecessours to be hated, he asked one, how he might so rule as not to be hated? the Party answered, Tu fac contra, Do thou contrary to that they have done.
Yet he neither resembled his Father Vespasian nor his Brother Titus.Eutropius. Neroni, aut Caligulae, aut Tiberio similior, quam Patri vel Fratri suo.
He was tall of stature, his countenance modest, and given much to rednesse; his eyes full and great, but his sight very dim. He was fair and of comely presence, especially in his youth; all his body was well shaped throughout, excepting his feet, the toes whereof were of the shortest; afterwards he became disfigured, and blemished with baldnesse, with a fat grand panch, and slender shankes.
In the beginning of his Empire his manner was to retire himself daily into a secret place for one houre,Stylis …ridicullè remotis omnibus, muscarum agmina persequebatur. Aurel. Vict. Hippocrates reckons up this for one signe of Melancholy, when men catch flyes; Muscas captar… atrae bili… indicium. Sueton. and there to do nothing else but to catch flyes, and with the sharp point of a bodkin prick thē through, in so much as when one enquired whether any body were with Caesar within? Crispus made answer not impertinently, Ne Musca quidem, No, not so much as a Flye.
In the Administration of the Empire, he behaved himself for a good while variable, as one made of an equall mixture and temper of Vices and Vertues, untill at length he turned his vertues also into vices.
He neglected all Liberall Studies in the beginning of his Empire, albeit he took order to repaire the Libraries consumed with fire, sending as far as*At Alexandria in Egypt was that famous Library of King Ptolomeus Philadelphus, and the other Ptolomies Progenitors, containing the number well near of 700000. Bookes, Aul. Gel. Noct. A…tic. l. 7. c. 1. Alexandria for copies of Books.
His ordinary speech was not unelegant,Vellem tam formosus esse quàm Metius sibi videtur. sometimes he would deliver Apothegmes; as for example, he wished, That he had been as fair and well-favoured as Metius did think himself to be; another time he said,Conditionem Principum miserrimam aiebat, quibus de conjuratione comperta non crederetur, nisi occisis. Sueton. That the condition of Princes was most miserable, who could not be credited touching a Conspiracy plainly detected, unlesse they were first slain.
This speech was used also by Adrian, Miser a conditio Imperatorum, quibus, de affectata tyrannide, nisi occisis non potest credi. Vulcat. Gallic. in Avidio Cassio.
He had no affection to bear Armes,Sagittorum tam doctus fuit, ut inter patentes digitos exte…ae manus viri procul positi spiculi ejus transvolarent. Aurel. Vict. Suetonius. Simile quid audivi à fide dignis & foreign factum de duc… Brundewizensi, qui suis pedissequis ac pueris h…norariis imperavit, inter digitorum extensorum intervalla retinerent dilerum Imperialem, quem sumpto sel…po minore, è patenti…us digitis globulo innoxiè exemit. Paulus Voetius in Herodiani Marcum & Commodum. p. 178. & 179. or wield weapons, but delighted especially to shoot Arrowes. He would drive his Arrowes point blank, so just against the Palm of a mans right hand, standing a far off, and holding it forth stretched open for a mark, as they should all directly passe through the voyd spaces between the fingers, and do him no harm at all.
During his abode at Alba, many have seen him shoot at an hundred wild beasts at a time, and purposely so to hit some of them in the head, that his shafts appeared there like a pair of hornes.
It was rumoured abroad, that in his Infancy, Dragons were found about him, in manner of a Guard,Tacitus l. 11. Annal. which is but a Fable; for he himself, who never derogated from himself, was wont to report but of one Serpent which was seen in his Chamber.
When he was mounted once to the Imperiall state,Suetonius. he made his boast in the very Senate, that it was he who had given unto his Father and Brother both the Empire, and they had but delivered it up to him again.
Martial writeth thus to him in his Epigrams.
Magna licet toties tribuas, majora daturus
Dona, Ducum victor, victor & ipse tui:
Diligeris populo non propter praemia, Caesar;
Propter te populus, praemia, Caesar, amat.
He was precise and industrious in ministring Justice, he reversed many times definitive sentences given for favour, and obtained by flattery; he did so chastise those that were faulty in that kind, that the Officers were never more temperate, or just in their places.
He repressed false informations, and sharply punished such informers, using this saying, Princeps qui delatores non castigat, irritat. The Prince that chasteneth not Promoters, setteth them on to promote.
At the first he so abhorred all Bloodshed and slaughter, that he purposed to publish an Edict, forbidding to kill and sacrifice any Oxe; and he scarce gave the least suspicion of Covetousnesse. But he continued not long in this strain, but fell after both to Cruelty and Avarice.
He was not only cruell, but very subtil and crafty in cloking of his cruelty.
Nunquam tristiorem sententiam sine praefatione clementiae pronunciavit, Suetonius.ut non aliud jam certius atrocis exitus signum esset, quam Principis lenitas. He never pronounced any heavy and bloody Sentence without some preamble and preface of clemency, so that there was not now a surer signe of some horrible end and conclusion, then a mild beginning and gentle Exordium.
It is reported of him, that, Eum se impensissimè diligere simulabat, quem maximè interemptum vellet. He would seem to love them most, whom he willed least should live.
It was sufficient, if any deed or word whatsoever was objected against any one, to make it high Treason against the Prince.Suetoniu…. Primus Domitianus Dominum se & Deum appellari jussit. Eusebius in Chronicis. Sueton. Eutropius. Aurel. Vict. Virgil called Augustus God, D…us nobis haec otia fecit. Vnde institutum post…ac, ut ne scripto quidem nec sermone cujusquam appellaretur aliter. Suetonius. Inheritances (though they belonged to the greatest strangers) were held confiscate, and adjudged to the Emperours Coffers, in case but one would come forth, and depose that he heard the party deceased say whiles he lived, that Caesar was his heir.
He was the first Emperour who commanded himself to be called Lord, and God. He sent out his writs in this form, Dominus & Deus noster sic fieri jubet, Our Lord and God thus commandeth. Whereupon afterward this order was taken up, that neither in the writing or speech of any man, he should be otherwise called.
Edictum Domini Deique nostri. Martial.
A true forerunner of his successour the Pope, who in the Extravagants (and well it deserves to be put there) is styled Dominus Deus noster Papa, An Oracle signifieth the answer of God. Rom. 3. 2. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 3. c. 15. Portio Neronis de crudelitate. for his cruelty a piece of Nero. Tertul. He was reprochfully called by the people bald Nero, because he was like him in cruelty, but bald. Et calvo serviret Roma Neroni. Juvenal.and his Decrees are styled Oracles.
The second persecution was under him in the twelfth year of his reigne; he most cruelly persecuted the Christians, because they would not give the Title of Lord to any but Christ, nor worship any but God. In this second great persecution, the beloved Disciple of Christ, the Evangelist Iohn, when he taught the Church of Ephesus, was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the Word of God, where he wrote the Revelation.
Cletus, Nicomedes, Pontia, Theodora, Domicilla, were then famous Martyrs.
There were many learned Schollars in his time; Iuvenal, Martial, Valerius Flaccus, Silius Italicus, Poets: Epictetus the Philosopher, and Apollonius Tyanaeus a famous Magician: Cornelius Tacitus the Historian, Iulius Solinus, Quintilian, Iosephus the writer of Iewish Antiquities.
He was proud like Nero, and persecuted innocent Christians as he did.
Tertullian called him Neronis portionem, Eusebius haeredem, In vita Agricolae. Nero tantum subtraxit oculos, jussitque scelera, non spectavit. Praecipua sub Domitiano miseriarum pars erat, videre & aspici.the one a part, the other the heir of Nero: and Tacitus puts onelyonly this difference between them, that Nero indeed commanded cruell Murthers, but Domitian not onelyonly commanded them, but beheld them himself; and so he was Bis Parricida (as Valerius *L. 9. c. 11. Valde solicitus, quod sciret ultimum vitae diem, saith Suetonius He was much tortured in mind, because he foreknew his end. Sueton.Maximus saith of another) Consilio prius, iterum spectaculo.
He caused the line of David to be diligently sought out and extinguisht, for fear lest he were yet to come of the house of David, which should enjoy the Kingdom.
He was so fearfull, that he walked almost continually in his Gallery, which he caused to be set with the stone Phengites, that by the brightnesse thereof as in a glasse, (Plin. l. 36. c. 22) he might see what was done behind him.
That is admirable which writers have related concerning Apollonius Tyanaeus, a Pythagorick Philosopher and famous Magician, who suddenly as amazed, cried out at Ephesus the same time, O Stephen, strike the Tyrant; and a little after, he said, It is well thou hast strucke him, thou hast wounded him, thou hast killed him.
As his life was like unto the life of Nero, so was he not unlike him in his death; for his own wife Domitia, Suetonius. Aurel. Vict. Carion.and friends conspired against him, and slew him; his body was carried to the grave by Porters, and buried without honour; the Senate of Rome also decreed, that his name should be rased, that all his Acts should be rescinded, and his memoriall abolished quite for ever.
He perished in the 45. year of his life,Aurel. Vict. & Eutropius. Carion, Chron. about the 15. of his reigne.
With whom both Tacitus and Suetonius end their History.