Select Observations of Roman Emperors 2, Part 1 · Emperor 15 – Emperor 17
Choyce Observations OF AELIVS HADRIANVS.
AFter the decease of Trajan, It was his word, Non mihi sed populo, signifying that which he was often heard to say; Ita se rempublicam gesturum, ut sciret rem populi esse, non suam,his Nephew Aelius Hadrianus by the consent of the Army, who swore to him obedience, was proclaimed Emperour; the Senate likewise confirmed their choyce, as being a man endued with gifts both of Art and Nature, answerable to the fortunes of his estate. His birth was of Spain, in the City Italica, near unto Sevil where Trajan was born; his Father Noble,Hic Graecis literis impensius eruditus, à pleris que Graecul…s appell…tus est. Aurel. Vict. and his Mother in Cales descended of an honourable stock. He was a great Mathematician, skilfull in Arithmetick, Geometry, and judiciall Astrology, learned in the Greek and Latine Tongues, well seen in Physick, and knew the vertues of Herbs, Roots, and Stones; a singular Musitian both for Theory and Practise, and could both limne and carve with approbation of the skilfull;He said rightly, Testibus non testimoniis …redendum. but above all is the admirable report of his memory, who never (they say) forgot any thing that he had either read or heard.
If he discovered any man to have the like skill with him in all sciences (in the which he very much excelled) by whom there might be danger lest he were overcome, through envy and too greedy a desire of singularity, he caused him to be killed. Among the which was Apollodorus the Architect, a man beyond comparison excellent in that Art; for that the Emperour having sent unto him the plat-form of a great work which he had contrived, he by his efficacious reasons had proved, that in some place it was to be corrected. Cuffe of Affectation. He quotes Dion & Bapt. Fulg. l. 8.
He was the most curious man that lived, and the most universal inquirer, in so much as it was noted for an errour in his mind, that he desired to comprehend all, and not reserve himself for the worthiest things;Sir Franci… Bacons Advanc. of Learn. but it pleased God to use the curiosity of this Emperour as an inducement to the peace of the Church in those dayes: for having Christ in veneration, not as a God or Saviour, but as a wonder or novelty; and having his picture in his Gallery matched with Apollonius (with whom in his vain imagination he thought he had some conformity) yet it served the turn to allay the bitter hatred of those times against the Christian name, so as the Church had peace during his time.
He was a great favourer of learned men. In Adriani Principis aulam non viri tantum militares, sed innumer abiles Philosophorum greges, tanquam in Lycaeum aut veterem Academiam magnis de rebus disputaturi confluebant. Alphonsus Garcias Matamorus in narrat. Apologet. de Acad. & viris liter atis. t. 2. Piccartus Observat. Historico-polit. Dec. 17. c. 5. instanceth in K. Alphonsus and others, who delighted in the society of learned men.
He was minded (as Lampridius writeth) to have built a Temple to the service of Christ, had not some disswaded him therefrom.
He was of Personage tall and very strong, of a good complexion, and amiable countenance, wearing the heare of his head and beard long.
To shew that he counted hatred retained a base and unprincely disposition, as soon as he came to the Empire, he laid aside all his former enmities; insomuch as that meeting with one who had been his capitall enemy, he said unto him, Evas…s…i, Thou art now escaped from my displeasure. Spartianus in Hadriano. videsis Casuabonum.
When a woman called to him passing by, saying, Audi me Caesar, Hear me Caesar, and he answered, Non est *Some say this was spoken to Philip of Macedon.otium, I have no leasure, she cryed out, Noli ergo imperare, then cease to reign; at that speech he being moved, staid and heard the*Dion laudat Adrianum, qui in causis cognoscendis fuerit & fa… cillintus & diligentissimus, adeo ut uni causae cognoscendae & dijudicandae saepe dies undecim aut duodecim tribueret, nonnunquam etiam noctes simul insunieret. woman. It was accounted discretion in him, that would not dispute his best with him, excusing himself, That it was reason to yeeld to him that commanded thirty legions.
Though he was famous for his industry, wit, memory, and fortunate successe, and could in his fatall sickness command others to be slain, yet death denyed subjection to him. His servant which undertook it fled, his adopted Son pretended piety, his own hand was prevented by Attendants, his solicited Physician flew himself that he might not slay the Emperour,Turba medicorum Caesarem perdidit. who yet complained at his death, Many Physicians have slain the Emperour. He sported at death with these Verses:
Animula, vagula, blandula,
Hospes, comesque Corporis,
Quae nunc abibis in loca?
Pallidula, rigida, nudula,
Nec ut soles, dabis jocos.
My fleeting fond poor darling,
Bodies Guest and equall,
Where now must be thy lodging?
Pale, and stark, and stript of all,
And put from wonted sporting.
When he had reigned in great honour and love the space of one and twenty years, five moneths and fifteen daies, and lived sixty two yeares, he dyed the eighth or tenth day of Iuly of a Dropsie, which malady so tormented him, that willingly he refused all sustenance, & languished away through faintnesse.
Choyce Observations OF ANTONINUS PIVS.
UNto Adrianus succeeded Antoninus Pius, Hunc ferè nulla vitiorum labes maeculavit. Aurel. Vict. Vixit ingenti honestate privatus, majori in imperio; Pius propter elementiam dictus est. Eutropius.who was for his many vertues, or rather piety toward the Gods, Sur-named Pius; For piety (to speak properly) is the true worship of God, as Austin shewes in his 10. book de Civit. Dei c. 1. But he was not truly pious, because he knew not the true God.
He was compared for his peace and policy unto Numa Pomplius, the second King of Rome. His birth was in Lombardy, the Son of Aurelius Fulvius. He was a Prince excellently learned, and had the patient and subtile wit of a School-man, insomuch as in common speech (which leaves no vertue untaxed) he was called Cymini-Sector, a carver or a divider of Cumine Seede, which is one of the least seeds; such a patience he had, and setled spirit to enter into the least and most exact differences of causes: he likewise approched a degree nearer unto Christianity, and became as Agrippa said to Paul, half a Christian; holding their religion and law in good opinion, and not onelyonly staying persecution, but giving way to the advancement of Christians. In his time Iustin Martyr wrote notable Bookes of Apologie for the Christians,His Symbole was, Meliu… servare unum quam occidere mille. which were preserved and read in the Senate of Rome, and mollified the Emperours mind towards them. He was favourable to all sorts of men,Scipio Africanus was wont to say, Malle se unum civem servare quam mille hostes occidere. having that Apothegme of Scipio Africanus rife in his mouth, that He had rather save one Subjects life then kill a thousand enemies.
He was of stature tall, of a seemely presence, in countenance majesticall, in manners mild, of a singular wit, very learned and eloquent,Solus omnium principum sine civili sanguine fuit. Carion. a great lover of Husbandry, peaceable, mercifull and bounteous, he neither in his youth did any thing rashly, nor in his age any thing negligently. In time of great famine which was in Rome, he provided for their wants, and maintained the people with bread and wine, the most of the time that the famine lasted; making victuals to be brought from all parts, and paying for the same at his own cost.
Having reigned twenty and two yeares,23 Saith Carion. seven moneths, and twenty six dayes, he dyed of a Fever at Porium the seventh of March, 70 Carion.the year of his life 75. and of Christ 162.
His death was generally lamented, and the Romans did him great honour, and made sacrifices to him, Canonizing him for a God, and building a Temple also to him.
Choyce Observations of LUCIUS COMMODUS VERUS, AND ANTONINUS PHILOSOPHUS.
THere succeeded Antoninus the Divi fratres, This was the first time wherein the Roman Empire was governed by two Augusti; Domitian was Titus his Associate, yet was he not called or accounted▪ Augustus until the death of his Brother Titus: but now two Emperours reigned at one and the self-same time.the two adoptive Brethren, Lucius Commodus Verus, Son to Aelius Verus, (who delighted much in the softer kind of learning, and was wont to call the Poet Martial his Virgil,) & Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, whereof the latter who obscured his Collegue, and survived him long, was named the Philosopher, who as he excelled all the rest in learning, so he excelled them likewise in perfectiō of all royall vertues. Betwixt their natures and conditions was as much odds as between day and night; the one very moderate, loving, and industrious; the other proud, careless, and cruell; the fruits whereof the poor Christians felt, whose chiefest Pillars, Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, and Iustin Martyr an excellent Philosopher, with infinite more were put to most cruell deaths.
After his death the whole Government returned to Antoninus Philosophus onelyonly,Vir quem mirari facilius quis quam landare possit; à principio vitae tranquillissimus, adeo ut in infantia quoque vultum nec ex ga…dio nec ex maerore mutaret. Eutropius. whose Symbole was, Regni Clementia custos. He was Sur-named the Philosopher, not onelyonly for his knowledge, but also practice of Philosophy; he had often in his mouth that speech of Plato, Tunc florent respublicae, quando vel Philosophus regit, vel Rex Philosophatur. This good Emperour possessed the Seat of Majesty nineteen yeares and eleven dayes, wherein he alwayes approved himself in wit excellent, in life vertuous; very learned and eloquent,Tantum Marco sapientiae, innocentiae, ac literarum fuit, ut is Marcomannos, cum filio Commodo quem Caesarem suffecerat, petiturus, Philosophorum obtestantium vi cir…umfunderetur; ne se expeditioni aut pugnae prius committeret, quàm sectarum ardu… & occulta explanavisset, &c. Aurel. Victor. full of clemency, justice, and temperance, nothing inferiour to most of all the worthiest Emperours before him, nor matchable in qualities by many of the Monarchs that followed him.
He would not believe that Avidius Cassius could ever have deposed him; and his reason was, The Gods had greater care of him, then to let Cassius wrong him undeservedly, Vulc. Gallicanus in vita Aridii Cassii.
Iulian the Emperour in his book intituled Caesares, being a Pasquil or Satyre to deride all his predecessors, feigned that they were all invited to a banquet of the gods, and Silenus the Iester sate at the lower end of the table, and bestowed a scoffe on every one as they came in; but when Antoninus Philosophus entred, he was gravelled and out of countenance, not knowing where to carpe at him, save at the last he gave a glance at his patience towards his wise.
When his Armies were even famished *The Christian Legion was after that time called Fulminatrix. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. His Wife Faustina (by whose meanes partly he obtained the Empire) was a Princesse, but a lewd and wanton woman; one counselled him to put her away, but he answered, Si uxorem di…ttimus, reddamus & dotem; choosing rather to have his house defiled then little.for want of water,Tertul. in Apolog. the Christians by their prayers procured wine from Heaven to their great refreshing, and the Barbarians were dashed with thunder and fire; whereupon he mitigated the rage against Christs Professors, and in his time the Church for the most part was in peace. He dyed the seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord 181. and of his own age, 59.