Select Observations of Roman Emperors, Life 14
Vlpius Trajanus.
UNto Nerva succeeded Vlpius Trajanus into the Roman Empire,Speed Chron. Trajanus Tudernino Hispaniae oppido oriundus est, in quo nihil praeter unum Trajanum est quod commendemus. Opes nec exiguae, supra privatum modum evectae. Corpore valido, & forma quae digna imperio videbatur, erat. in the 42. year of his age, who was born near unto Sevil in the Territories of Spain, of a Noble Family, but was much more ennobled in himself for his Princely endowments; which moved Nerva in his life time to adopt him into so high a calling, and the whole Senate after his death joyfully to confirm his Election, and so often to honour him with the title of the most excellent Prince in publick Dedications. He raised the Roman Empire unto the very highest pitch of glory,Boxhorn. orat. de vita & moribus Trajani. and spread the power of their command into the largest circuit that ever before or since hath been possessed.
Dr. Heylin in his Cosmography in Tartaria, saith Cremam or Crim, the ancient feat of the Chams, or Princes of the Tartars, was held impregnable. But Florus saith, it was taken by some of the Roman Emperors, and so most likely to be Trajan; the first that ever extended the Roman Empire beyond Danubius and the Euxine.
Caput non diadema sed galea ornabat; & qua manu sceptrum domi, eadem gladium bello tenebat.He subdued Dacia, made subject Armenia, Parthia and Mesopotomia, conquered Assyria, Persia, and Babylon; passed Tigris, and stretched the confines of the Roman Empire unto the remotest Dominions of the Indies, which never before that time had heard of the Roman name.Boxhorn. For his person,Praesens aderat non spectator tantum, sed & inter primos bellatorum; ut virtuti consiliis que ejus omnia deberentur. he was not very learned, yet he was a great admirer of, and Benefactor to Learning; a Founder of famous Libraries, a perpetual advancer of Learned men to Office, *Eruditissimos, quamvis ipse parcae esset scientiae, moderateque eloquens, diligebat. Aurel. Vict.and a familiar Converser with learned Professors. Quem honorem dicendi Magistris? quam dignationem sapientiae doctoribus babes? ut sub te spiritum, & sanguinem, & patriam receperint studia, quae priorum temporum immanitas exiliis puniebat. Plin. Secund. Paneg.
Of stature he was big, of complexion swarthy, thin of hair both head and beard, he had a hooked nose, broad shoulders, long hands and a pleasant eye.Plutarch was his Master.
He stirred up the third persecution, wherein Ignatius, and Simon the Son of Cleophas, and many other worthy saints of God received the Crown of Martyrdom, in such cruel manner, as that his other vertues are much clouded by that Taxation; for mollification whereof,Eusebius. Eccles. Hist. l. 3. c. 30.he was entreated by Plinius Secundus, whose Epistles to that purpose are yet extant, viz. the 97. of his tenth Book, where he hath this passage to Trajan concerning them; Affirmabant hanc fuisse summam vel culpae suae, vel erroris, quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire, carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem; seque Sacramento non in Scelus aliquid obstringere, sed ne furta, ne latrocinia, ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fallerent, ne depositum appellati abnegarent, &c. to which Letter Trajan thus replyeth, Conquirendi non sunt; si deferantur & arguantur, puniendi sunt.
Whereupon Tertullian in his Apology hath this passage, O Sententiam necessitate confusam! negat inquirendos ut innocentes, & mandat puniendos ut nocentes. Parcit & saevit; dissimulat & animadvertit. Quid teipsum censura circumvenis? Si damnas cur non & inquiris? si non inquiris, Nemo supplici vultu, sed laeti & alacres non tam principem quam patrem agnoscebant. Boxhorn. Orat.cur non & absolvis?
He was affable and familiar even with his inferiors; of such carriage toward his subjects, as he himself would wish (he said) his Prince to use towards him, if he had been a subject. Aequus, clemens, patientissimus, atque in amicos perfidelis, saith Aurelius Victor of him.Accipe gladium quem pro me, si recte impero, sin minus, contra me distringe. He was a great observer of Justice, insomuch that when he invested any Pretor, he commanded him to use the same even against his own person, if he violated Law or equity.
He erected many famous buildings, and upon whatsoever he builded or repaired, would set up a glorious superscription in honour of himself; whence Constantine the Great called him Herbam Parietariam, the Wall-flower, because his name was upon so many walls. Alexander Severus is rather to be commended, who caused that precept of the Gospel to be engraved on the frontispiece of his Palace, Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris.
Dion reporteth this Apophthegm of him, Nullum se unquam virum bonum male habiturum, nedum occisurum. Dies ille triplici gaudio laetus (saith Pliny in a Panegyrick to him) qui principem abstulit pessimum, dedit optimum, meliorem optimo genuit.
In solo Plinio Trajanum habemus, in Trajano imaginem omnium magnarum virtutum. Qui ea libertate omnia scripsit, qua Trajanus fecit; adeo ut incomparabili principe opus dignissimum sit & ipsum incomparabile. Boxhorn. Orat.
Rara temporum foelicitas, ubi sentire quae velis, L. 1. Hist.& quae sentias dicere licet, saith Tacitus of his reign: a man so exceedingly wel-beloved of the Senate, & of the people of Rome, that after his daies, whensoever a new Emperor was elected, they wished unto him the good success of Augustus, and the uprightness of Trajan.
He died by a flux the seventh day of August, after he had reigned 19 years,Carion Chron. six months and 15 daies, and of his age 64.