CHAP. XXXII.
THe Emperour Augustus banished and confined his daughter, that was growne so impudentt, hat her modestie exceeded this com∣mon course, and blazed abroad the whoredomes of the imperiall house, as how she had admitted whole troups of adulteries; spent the whole night in banquets here and there in the citie, how she had soiled and sinned with her adulterers, in that euery Court and iudgement seate, from whence her father had published lawes against adulteries, her daily haunt and concourse to Marsias s••aule, whereas from an adulteresse she became a common strumpet, and required the libertie of all licentiousnesse, vnder an vn∣knowne adulterer. These things which a Prince ought as well to conceale, as to punish (because the dishonour and disgrace of some things oftentimes redoun∣deth to him who would punish the same) he vnable to conquer his displeasure published abroad.* 1.1 Afterwards some few dayes past, when remorsefull shame had supplied the place of his displeasure, lamenting that he had not obscured those things in silence, which so long time he was ignorant of, till it was loath∣some for him to speake it, he oftentimes exclaimed, None of these things had be∣falne me, if eyther AGRIPPA or MECAENAS had liued. So hard a thing is it to him that had so many thousands at his beck, to supplie the want of two. His legions are slaine, and forthwith new are leuied: his Nauie defeated, and with∣in few dayes a new floated: fire had defaced and consumed the common buil∣dings, and better were raised then those that were burned; but all his life time he could not finde any to supplie Mecaenas or Agrippas places. What shall I thinke? Did there want such to succeede them, or that it was his errour, who had rather complaine then seeke friends? There is no cause we should imagine that Agrippa and Mecaenas were wont to speake truth vnto him,* 1.2 who had they liued, had beene amongst his dissemblers. It is the manner of Kingly dispositi∣ons, in contumely of the liuing, to praise those that are lost, and to giue them the honour of speaking truth, from whom they are now out of danger of hearing a∣nie more.