Select Observations of Roman Emperors, Life 15 – Life 17
Aelius Adrianus.
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,AFTER the death of Trajan, his Nephew Aelius Adrianus by the consent of the Army, who swore to him obedience, was proclaimed Emperor; the Senate▪ likewise confirmed their choice, 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 Graeculus appellatus est. Aurel. Vict. and his Mother in Cales descended of an honourable stock. Bochartus De Phaenicum coloniis l. 1. c. 25. saith, that Adrian being a private man learned in Castalia, that he should be Emperor, by a prophesie written in a Laurel leaf which he cast into that fountain. Res est sine exemplo (saith Bochart) quaeque illum ita percussit, ut postquam ad imperium evectus est, fontem obstruxerit ingenti mole saxorum, ne quis ad capessendam Rempublicam eadem ratione impelleretur. He was a great Mathematician, skilful in Arithmetick, Geometry, and judicial Astrology, learned in the Greek and Latine Tongues, well seen in Physick, and knew the vertues of Herbs, Roots, Stones; a singular Musitian both for Theory and Practise, and could both limn and carve with approbation of the skilful;He said rightly, Testibus, non testimoniis credendum. but above all is the admirable report of his m…mory, 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 Emperor 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 and Bapt. Fulg. l. 8.
Curiositatum omnium explorator. Tertul. Apol.He was the most curious man that lived, & the most universal enquirer, in so much as it was noted for an error in his mind, that he desired to comprehend all,Sir Francis Bacon Advanc. of Learn. and not reserve himself for the worthiest things; but it pleased God to use the curiosity of this Emperor 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 imgination 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 innumerabiles Philosophorum greges, tanquam in Lycaeum aut veterem Academiam magnis de rebus disputaturi confluebant. Alphonsus Garcias Matamorus in narat. Apologet. de Acad. & viris literatis. 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 hair 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 capital enemy, he said unto him, Evasisti, Thou art now escaped from my displeasure. Spartianus in Adriano. videsis Casaubonum.
Valesius in his Annotat. in Cap. 18. Orat. Constantini Imp. ad sanctorum Caetum. saith the verses of the Sybils were feigned by idle men, and published for the Sybils about the time of this Emperor Adrian. Certe (saith he) nemo antiquior Iustino eorum mentionem fecit. Nam si Sibylla (saith he still) tam clarè de Christo praedixerat, cur Paulus in suis epistolis, & cum ad Athenienses verba faceret, ejus testimonio non est usus, maximè cum Aratum alios Gentilium poetas citare non dedignetur? Vide plura, ibid. Quid Pseudo sibyllina oracula, quae Christiani gentibus objiciebant, quum tamen è Christianorum officina prodiissent, in Gentium autem bibliothecis non reperirentur? Scal. in Opusc.
When a woman called to him passing by, saying, Audi me Caesar, Hear me Caesar, and he answered, Non est otium, I have no leasure, she cryed out, Noli ergo imperare, then cease to *Some say this was spoken to Philip of Macedon.reign; at that speech he being moved, staid and heard the†Dion laudat Adrianum, qui in causis cognoscendis fuerit & facillimus & diligentissimus, adeo ut uni causae cognoscendae & dijudicandae saepe dies undecim aut duodecim tribu eret, nonnunquam etiam noctes simul insumeret. woman. It was accounted discretion in him, that would not dispute his best with Adrian, sing 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 fatal 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 slew himself that he might not slay the Emperor, who yet complained at his death, Many Physicians have slain the Emperor. Turba medicorum Caesarem perdidit.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 equal,
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 months and fifteen daies, and lived fifty two years, he dyed the eighth or tenth day of Iuly of a Dropsie, which malady so tormented him, that willingly he refused all sustenance, and languished away through faintnesse.
Antoninus Pius.
UNto Adrianus succeeded Antoninus Pius, Hunc ferè nullae vitiorum labes maculavit. Aurelius Victor. Vixit ingenti honestate privatus, majori in imperio; Pius propter clementiam 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 shews 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 Pompilius, 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 divider of Cumin Seed, which is one of the least seeds; such a patience he had, and settled spirit to enter into the least and most exact differences of causes: he likewise approached 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 only staying persecution, but giving way to the advancement of Christians. In his time Iustin Martyr wrote notable books of Apologie for the Christians,His Symbole was, Melius servare unum quaem occidere mille. which were preserved and read in the Senate of Rome, and mollified the Emperors mind towards them. He was favourable to all sorts of men, having that Apophthegm of Scipio Africanus rife in his mouth,Scipio Africanus was wont to say, Malle se unum civem servare quam mille hostes occidere. that He had rather save one subjects life than kill a thousand enemies.
He was of stature tall, of a seemly presence, in countenance majestical, in manners mild, of a singular wit, very learned and eloquent,Solus omnium principum sine civili sanguine fuit. a great lover of Husbandry, peaceable, merciful and bounteous; he neither in his youth did any thing rashly, nor in his age any thing negligently.Carion. In time of a great famine which was in Rome, he provided for their wants, and maintained the people with bread and wine, the most of the time 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 years,23 Saith Carion. seven months and twenty six daies, 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.
Lucius Aelius Verus.
M. Aurelius Antoninus, Philosophus.
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 Emperors reigned at one and the self-same time.THere succeeded Antoninus the Divi fratres, the two adoptive Brethren, Lucius Aelius Verus, Son to Aelius Verus, (who delighted much in the softer kind of learning, and was wont to call the Poet Martial his Virgil) and 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 perfection of all royal 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 cruel; the fruits whereof the poor Christians felt, whose chiefest Pillars, Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, and Iustin Martyr an excellent Philosopher, with more were put to most cruel deaths.
Yet Heraldus on Tertullian, saith, they published no Laws nor Edicts against the Christians, but the Governors and Magistrates of many Provinces were cruel towards them, without any new command or Edict.
After his death the whole Government returned to Antoninus Philosophus only,Vir quem mirari facilius quis quam laudare possit; à principio vitae tranquillissimus, adeo ut in infantia quoque vultum nec ex gaudio nec ex maerore mutaret. whose Symbol was, Regni Clementia custos.
He wrote twelve books of his own affairs, on which both Mr. Gataker hath commented in Latine, and Dr. Merick Casaubon both in Latine and English.
He was sur-named The Philosopher, not only for his knowledge, but also practice of Philosophy;Eutropius. Studium Philosophiae constans, & indefessum nomen illi celeberrimum conciliavit. Gatak. Annotat. in lib. 1. Ant. He had often in his mouth that speech of Plato, Tune florent respublicae, quando vel Philosophus regit, vel Rex Philosophatur. Yet some say, that this inscription (of Philosopher) attributed to him, was not genuine. The Grecians call him only Marcus, or Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, without the addition of Philosopher. Notae P. Voet. in Marci & Commodi Imperatorum vitam. This good Emperor possessed the Seat of Majesty 19 years and 11 daies, wherein he alwaies approved himself in wit excellent, in life vertuous, very learned and eloquent, full of clemency, justice and temperance; †Tantum Marco sapientiae, innocentiae, ac literarum fuit, ut is Marcomannos, cum filio Commodo quem Caesarem suffecerat, petiturus, Philosophorum obtestantium vi circumfunderetur; ne se expeditioni aut pugnae prius committeret, quàm sectarum ardua & occulta explanavisset. Aurel. Vict.nothing inferior to most of all the worthiest Emperors 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, than to let Cassius wrong him undeservedly. Vulc. Gallicanus in vita Avidii Cassii.
Iulian the Emperor in his Book entituled Caesares, being a Pasquil or Satyr to deride all his predecessors, feigned that they were all invited to a Banquet of the gods, and Silenus the Jester sate at the lower end of the Table, and bestowed a scoff on every one as they came in; but when Antoninus Philosophus entred, he was gravelled and out of countenance, not knowing where to carp at him, save at the last he gave a glance at his patience towards his wife.
When his Armies were even famished *The Christian Legion was after that time called Fulminatrix. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 5. c. 5. though Valesius (in loc.) think it improbable, that the whole Legion of the Roman Soldiers at that time was Christians, (which yet Eusebius seems to affirm) and he would have it rather called Legio Fulminea, than Fulminatrix. Tertullian in the fifth Chapter of his Apologie mentions it; upon which saith Heraldus in his Commentary. Testata historia, sed quam profani scriptores quum divinam potentiam non intelligerent, interpolarunt, ac tantum tamque insigne Dei beneficium magicis incantationibus sacrilege tribuerunt. Istud Cassius, Arnuphis Aegyptii, vel Iuliani, ut apud Suidam alius nescio quis, magicis procurationibus, Marci ipsius precibus Capitolinus, moribus pietatique Claudianus, Christiano nomini iniquiores adscribant. Gatak. Annotat. in Lib. 1. Antonini Imperatoris. His Wife Faustina (by whose means partly he obtained the Empire) was a Princess, but a lewd and wanton woman; one counselled him to put her away, but he answered, Si uxorem dimittimus, reddamus & dotem; chusing rather to have his house defiled, than little.for want of Water, the Christians by their prayers procured rain 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 seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord 181. and of his own age fifty nine.