Commentary Upon Acts, Part 2 – Title page 3
Part II. The Roman Story.
Sect. I. Velleius Paterculus.
TIBERIVS keepeth himselfe still in the Countrey, but not still at Capreae: *Dion sub his co….for this yeare hee draweth neare unto Rome, and haunteth in some places about foure miles off, but commeth not at all unto the City. This seemeth to bee his first journey towards it, that Suetonius speaketh of *In Tiber cap. 17when hee came by water to the Gardens beside the Naumachy, or the Poole in Tiber where they used their sporting sea-fights, and returned againe, but the cause not knowne. The first thing mentioned of him under these Consulls, both by Tacitus and Dion, is his marrying forth the daughter of Drusus, which they name not; and Iulia and Drusilla the daughters of Germanicus; Drusilla to L. Cassius, Iulia to M. Vinicius. This was a sonne of that M. Vinicius to whom Paterculus dedicateth his short and sweet Roman History. And the nearenesse of the time would very nearely perswade that this was that very Vinicius himself, but that Paterculus sheweth that his Vinicius was Consull when hee wrote his Booke to him; and that (as himselfe, and Dion agreeing with him sheweth) An. V. C. 783, or the next yeare after our Saviours Baptism…; but this Vinicius, Tiberius his son in law, (as Tacitus intimateth) was onelyonly a Knight, but a Consuls son. Howsoever, in these times shone forth and flourished the excellent wit, and matchlesse pen of that Historian, an Author known to all Learned men, and admired by all that know him: His Originall was from the Campanians, as himself witnesseth not very farre from the beginning of his second booke, when hee commeth to speake of the Italian warre in the time of Sylla and Marius. No pen is so fit to draw his pedegree and Character as his owne, and therefore take onelyonly his owne words; Neque ego verecundiâ, domestici sanguinis gloriae dum verum refero sub…raham, &c. Nor will I for modesty derogate any thing from the honour of mine owne blood, so that I speake no more then truth; for much is to bee attributed to the memory of Minatius Magius my great-Grandfathers Father, a man of Asculum; who being *Or GrandchildNephew to Decius Magius, a renowned Prince of the Campanians, and a most faithfull man, was so trusty to the Romans in this warre, that with a Legi…n which hee had banded, Pompey tooke Herculaneum, together with T. Didius; when L. Sulla besieged, and tooke in Consa. Of whose vertues both others, but especially and most plainely Q. Hortensius hath made relation in his Annals. Whose Loyalty the people of Rome did fully requite, by enfranchising both him and his, and making two of his Sonnes Pretors. His Grandfather was C. Velleius, Master of the Engineers to Cn. Pompey, M. Bru…us and Tiro; a man, saith hee, second to none in Campany, whom I will not defraud of that testimony which I wou…d give to a stranger: Hee at the departure of Nero (Tiberius his father) out of Naples, whose part hee had taken for his singular friendship with him, being now unweldy with age and bulke of body, when hee could not accompany him any longer, hee slew himselfe. Of his Fathers, and of his owne ranke and profession, thus speaketh he jointly: At this time (namely, about the time that Augustus adopted Tiberius) after I had beene Field-Marshall, I became a Souldier of Tiberius; and being sent with him Generall of the Horse into Germany, which Office my Father had borne before; for nine whole yeares together, I was either a spectator, or to my poor ability a forwarder of his most celestiall designes; being either a Commander, or an Ambassadoir. And a little after: In this warre, (against the Hungarians and Dalmatians, and other Nations revolted) my meanenesse had the place of an eminent Officer. For having end…d my service with the Horse, I was made Qu…stor; and being not yet a Senator, I was equalled with the Senators. And the tribunes of the people being now designed, I l…d a part of the Army delivered to mee by Augustus, from the City to his Sonne. And in my Questorship, the lot of my Province being remitted, I was sent Ambassadour from him to him againe. Partner in the like employments and honours, hee had a brother named Magius Celer Velleianus, that likewise attended Tib…rius in the Dalmatian war, and was honoured by him in his triumph, and afterward were his brother and hee made Pretors. When he wrote that abridgement of the Roman History which wee now have extant, hee had a larger worke of the same subject in hand, of which hee maketh mention in divers places; which hee calleth justum opus, and justa volumina, but so farre hath time and fortune denyed us so promising and so promised a peece; that this his abstract is come short home and miserably curtailed to our hands. So do Epitomes too commonly devoure the Originall, and pretending to ease the toil of reading larger volumes, they bring them into neglect & losse. In the unhappines of the losse of the other, it was somewhat happy that so much of this is preserved as is; a fragment of as excellent compacture, as any is in the Roman tongue; wherein sweetnesse and gravity, eloquence and truth, shortnesse and variety, are so compacted and compounded together, that it findeth few parallels either Roman or other.
Sect. 2. Troubles in Rome about usury.
This yeare there was a great disturbance in the City about Usury, the too common, and the too necessary evill of a Common-wealth. This breed-bate had severall times heretofore disturbed that State, though strict and rigorous courses were still taken about it. At the first, the interest of money lent, was proportioned and limited onelyonly at the disposall of the lender, a measure alwayes inconstant, and often unconscionable. Whereupon, it was fixed at the last by the twelve tables to an ounce in the pound, which is proportionable in our English coine, to a penny in the shilling. Afterward by a Tribune statute it was reduced to halfe an ounce, and at last the trade was quite forbidden. But such weeds are ever growing againe, though weeded out as cleane as possible; and so did this: Partly, through the covetousnesse of the rich, making way for their owne profit; and partly through the necessities of the poore, giving way to it for their own supply.
Gracchus now Pretor, and hee to whom the complaint was made at this time, being much perplexed with the matter, referreth it to the Senate as perplexed as himselfe. Hee perplexed because of the multitude that were in danger, by breach of the Law; and they, because they were in danger themselves. Here was a prize for the greedy appetite of Tiberius, when so many of the best ranke and purses, were fallen into his lurch, and their moneys lent fallen into forfeiture, because of their unlawfull lending. The guilty Senate obtaine the Emperours pardon, and eighteen moneths are allowed for bringing in of all mens accompts: In which time the scarcity of money did pinch the more, when every ones debts did come to rifling: and in the nick of that there followed a great disturbance about buying Lands, which before was invented for a remedy against the former complaints. But the Emperour was glad to salve up the matter by lending great summes of Money to the people gratis for three yeares.
Sect. 3. Tiberius still cruell.
With this one dramme of humanity, hee mingled many ounces of cruelty and blood-shed. For Considius Proculus as hee was celebrating his birth day without feare and with Festivity, is haled out of his owne house, brought to the barre and condemned: and his sister Sancia interdicted fire and water. Pompeia Macrina banished; and her father and brother condemned, and slew themselves. But this yeare there is no reckoning of the slaughtered by name, for now their number grew numberlesse. All that were imprisoned and accused for conspiracy with Sejanus, hee causeth to bee slaine every mothers sonne. Now, saith mine Author, there lay an infinite massacre of all sexes, ages, conditions, noble and ignoble, either dispersed, or together on heaps. Nor was it permitted to friends or kindred to comfort, bewaile, or behold them any more: but a Guard set, which for the greater griefe abused the putrified bodies till they were haled into Tiber, and there left to sinke or swim, for none was suffered to touch or bury them. So farre was common humanity banished, and pity denyed even after death, revenge being unsatisfied when it had revenged, and cruelty extended beyond it selfe. Nor did the accusers speed better then the accused, for hee also caused them to be put to death as well as the other, under that colour of justice and retaliation, satisfying his cruelty both wayes to the greater extent. It were to be admired, and with admiration to be admired, never to be satisfied (were it not that the avenging hand of God upon the bloody City is to bee acknowledged in it) that ever a people should be so universally bent one against another, seeking the ruine and destruction one of another, and furthering their owne misery, when they were most miserable already, in him that sought the ruine of them all. A fitter instrument could not the Tyrant have desired for such a purpose then themselves; nor when hee had them so pliable to their owne mischiefe, did he neglect the opportunity, or let them bee idle: For as hee saw accusations encrease, so did hee encrease his laws to breed more: insomuch that at the last it grew to bee capitall, for a servant to have fallen before, or neare the image of Augustus, or for any man to carry either coine or ring into the Stewes, or house of Office, if it bare upon it the image of Tiberius.
Sect. 3. A wicked accusation.
Who can resolve whether it were more vexation to suffer upon such foolish accusations, or upon others more solid; but as false as these were foolish? That was the fortune of Sextus Marius an intimate friend of the Emperours; but as it proved, not the Emperour so of his: This was a man of great riches and honour, and in this one action of a strange vaine-glory and revenge. Having taken a displeasure at one of his Neighbours, hee inviteth him to his house, and there detained him feasting two dayes together. And on the first day hee pulleth his house downe to the ground, and on the next hee buildeth it up farre fairer and larger then before. The honest man when hee returned home found what was done, admired at the speed of the worke, rejoyced at the change of his house, but could not learn who had done the deed. At the last Marius confessed that he was the agent, and that hee had done it with this intent, To shew him that hee had power to doe him a displeasure, or a pleasure, as he should deserve it. Ah blinded Marius, and too indulgent to thine owne humours! se…st thou not the same power of Tiberius over thee? and thy fortunes pinned upon his pleasure, as thy neighbours upon thine. And so it came to passe that fortune read him the same lecture, that his fancy had done another. For having a young beautifull Daughter, and such a one, as on whom the Emperour had cast an eye, and so plainly, that the father spyed it, hee removed her to another place, and kept her there close and at distance, lest she should have been violated by him, who must have no denyall. Tiberius imagined as the thing was indeed, and when hee seeth that hee cannot enjoy his love, and satisfie his lust, hee turneth it to hate and revenge. And causeth Marius to be accused of incest with his daughter whom hee kept so close, and both father and daughter are condemned, and suffer for it both together.
Sect. 5. A miserable life and death.
In these so fearefull and horrid times, when nothing was safe, nothing secure, when silence and innocency were no protection, nor to accuse, no more safeguard then to bee accused, but when all things went at the Emperours will, and that will alwayes cruell, what course could any man take not to bee intangled, and what way being intangled to extricate himselfe? The Emperours frownes were death, and his favours little better; to be accused was condemnation, and to accuse was often as much; that now very many found no way to escape death but by dying, nor to avoid the cruelty of others, but by being cruell to themselves. For though selfe-murder was alwayes held for a Roman valour, yet now was it become a meere necessity; men choosing that miserable exigent to avoid a worse, as they supposed, and a present end, to escape future evills. So did Asinius Gallus at this time for the one, and Nerva for the other. This Gallus about three yeares agoe, comming to Tiberius upon an Ambassy, was fairely entertained and royally feasted by him, but in the very interim he writeth letters to the Senate in his accusation. Such was the Tyrant… friendship; and so soure sawce had poore Asinius to his dainty fare. A thing both inhumane and unusuall, that a man the same day should eate, drinke and be merry with the Emperour, and the same day bee condemned in the Senate upon the Emperours accusation. An Officer is sent to fetch him away a Prisoner; from whence hee had but lately gone Ambassadour. The pooreman being thus betrayed, thought it vaine to beg for life; for that hee was sure would bee denyed him, but he begged that he might presently bee put to death, and that was denyed also. For the bloody Emperour delighted not in blood and death onelyonly, but in any thing that would cause other mens misery, though it were their life. So having once committed one of his friends to a most miserable and intolerable imprisonment; and being sollicited and earnestly sued unto, that he might bee speedily executed and put out of his misery, hee flatly denyed it, saying, That hee was not growne friends with him yet. Such was the penance that hee put poore Gallus to: a life farre worser then a present death; for hee ought him more spight and torture then a suddaine execution. The miserable man being imprisoned and straitly looked to, not so much for feare of his escape by flight, as of his escape by death, was denyed the sight and conference of any one whosoever, but him onelyonly that brought him his pitifull dyet, which served onelyonly to prolong his wretched life, and not to comfort it; and he was forced to take it, for hee must by no meanes be suffered to die. Thus lived (if it may bee called a life) a man that had been of the honourablest rank and office in the City; lingring and wishing for death, or rather dying for three yeares together; and now at last hee findeth the means to famish himself, and to finish his miserable bondage with as miserable an end; to the sore displeasure of the Emperour, for that hee had escaped him, and not come to publike execution.
Such an end also chose Nerva one of his neare friends and familiars, but not like the other, because of miseries past or present; but because of feare and foresight of such to come. His way that hee tooke to dispatch himself of his life, was by totall abstinence and refusall of food; which when Tiberius perceived was his intent, hee sits downe by him, desires to know his reason, and begs with all earnestnesse of him, that he would desist from such a design: For what scandall, saith he, will it be to mee, to have one of my nearest friends to end his own life, and no cause given why he should so die? But Nerva satisfied him not either in answer or in act, but persisted in his pining of himself, and so dyed.
Sect. 6. The miserable ends of Agrippina and Drusus.
To such like ends came also Agrippina and Drusus, the wife and son of Germanicus, and mother and brother of Caius, the next Emperour that should succeed. These two, the daughter in law, and Grandchild of Tiberius himselfe, had about foure yeares agoe beene brought into question by his unkind and inhumane accusation, and into hold and custody untill this time. It was the common opinion that the cursed instigation of Sejanus, whom the Emperour had raised purposely for the ruine of Germanicus his house had set such an accusation a foot; and made the man to bee so cruell towards his owne family; but when the two accused ones had miserably survived the wicked Sejanus, and yet nothing was remitted of their prosecution, then opinion learned to lay the fault where it deserved, even on the cruelty and spite of Tiberius himselfe. Drusus is adjudged by him to die by famine, and miserable and woefull wretch that he was, hee sustaineth his life for nine dayes together, by eating the flockes out of his bed, being brought to that lamentable and unheard of dyet, through extremity of hunger. Here at last was an end of Drusus his misery, but so was there not of Tiberius his cruelty towards him; for he denyed the dead body buriall in a fitting place; he reviled & disgraced the memory of him with hideous and feigned scandals and criminations, and shamed not to publish in the open Senate, what words had passed from the pining man against Tiberius himselfe; when in agony through hunger hee craved meat, and was denyed it. Oh what a sight and hearing was this to the eyes and eares of the Roman people, to behold him that was a child of their dar…ing and delight Germanieus, to be thus barbarously and inhumanely brought to his end, and to heare his own Grandfather confesse the action and not dissemble it!
Agrippina the woefull mother, might dolefully conjecture what would become of her selfe, by this fatall and terrible end of the poore Prince her son. And it was not long, but she tasted of the very same cup, both of the same kind of death, and of the same kind of disgracing after. For being pined after the same manner, that it might be coloured that she did it of her self (a death very unfitting the greatest Princesse then alive,) she was afterward slandered by Tiberius for adultery with Gallus that died so lately, and that shee caused her owne death for griefe of his. She and her son were denyed buryall befitting their degree, but hid in some obscure place where no one knew, which was no little distaste and discontentment to the people. The Tyrant thought it a speciall cause of boasting and extolling his owne goodnesse, that she had not been strangled, nor dyed the death of common base offenders: And since it was her fortune to die on the very same day that Sejanus had done two yeares before, viz. Octob. 17. it must be recorded as of speciall observation, and great thankes given for the matter, and an annuall sacrifice instituted to Iupiter on that day.
Caius her son, and brother to poore Drusus tooke all this very well, or at least seemed so to doe, partly glad to bee shut of any one that was likely to have any colour or likelyhood of corrivality with him in his future reigne; and partly being brought up in such a schoole of dissimulation, and growne so perfect a Scholar there, that he wanted little of Tiberius. This yeare hee marryed Claudia the daughter of M. Silanus, a man that would have advised him to good, if hee would have hearkened; but afterward he matched with a mate and stock, more fitting his evill nature, Ennia the wife of Macro, bvt for advantage resigned by her husband Macro, to the adulterating of Caius, and then to his marriage.
Sect. 7. Other Massacres.
The death of Agrippina drew on Plancinaes, a woman that never accorded with her in any thing, but in Tiberius his displeasure, and in a fatall and miserable end. This Plancina, in the universall mourning of the state for the losse of Germanicus, rejoyced at it, and made that her sport, which was the common sorrow of all the State: How poore Agrippina relished this, being deprived of so rare a husband, can hardly be thought of without joyning with her in her just and mournfull indignaon. Tiberius having a spleen at the woman for some other respect, had now a faire colour to hide his revenge under, to call her to account, and that with some applause. But here his revenge is got into a strait; for if he should put her to death, it may bee it would be some content to Agrippina: And therefore not to pleasure her so much, hee will not pleasure the other so much neither as with present death, but keepeth her in lingring custody till Agrippina be gone, and then must she follow; but her resolutenesse preventeth the Executioner, and to escape anothers, she dyeth by her own hand.
Let us make up the heape of the slaughtered this yeare, in the vvords of Dion, Such a number of Senators, to omit others, perished under Tiberius, that the Governours of Provinces were chosen by lot, and ruled, some three yeares, some six, because there were not enough to come in their roome.
THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY, THE JEWISH and the ROMAN. FOR The Yeare of Christ 35. And of Tiberius 20. Being the Yeare of the World 3962. And of the City of Rome, 787. Consuls
Lucius Vitellius.
P. Fabius Priscus, or Persicus.
London, Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke, 1645.