The annales of Cornelius Tacitus. The description of Germanie

THE FIFT BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS. (Book 5)

I. The death of Iulia. Tiberius crueltie increaseth. His practises to make away Nero, and Agrippina.

WHen Rubellius and Fusius, both of them surnamed Geminus, were Consuls, Iulia Augusta died; being very aged, and of the noble familie of the Claudians; and besides, into the house of the Liuians and Iulians adopted. She was first married vnto Tiberius Nero, and had children by him: who being driuen out of his countrey in the warre of Perusium, and a peace after confirmed betwixt Sext. Pompeius, & the Triumuiri, returned to the citie againe. After that Augustus rauished with her beautie (whether a∣gainst her will or not it is vncertaine) tooke her from her husband, shewing him∣selfe so lustfull of her, that not giuing her time to be deliuered of her first husbands childe, brought her great as she was to his owne house. After that she had no issue, but being vnited to Augustus bloud, by the mariage of Germanicus and Agrippina, they had nephewes children common to them both. Her behauior was, according to the carriage of auncient times; yet more courteous then women of former ages could well allow; an vntollerable mother, a tractable wife, with the subtletie of her husband, and dissimulation of her soone, well medled and composed. Her funerals were not sumptuous, her testament long voide. She was praised in a funerall oration before the Rostra, by C. Caesar her nephewes sonne, who not long after succeeded in soueraigntie. But Tiberius omitting no part of his pleasures, excused by letters his absence from his mothers obsequies, as though he had been hindered by important affaires; and vnder colour of modestie, cut off many honorable ceremonies, which the Lords of the Senate had decreed should be done in memory of her; and espe∣cially that no diuine ceremonie shuld be ordained for her, because (said he) such was her will. And in part of the same letters he found fault with such as went about to win womens fauor & good will: therein couertly carping the Consull Fusius, a man highly in Augustus grace, & his crafts-master in winning of womens fauor, a iesting mate, & oft accustomed bitterly to skoffe at Tiberius; a thing which great potētates keepe long in memory. But now Tiberius began to grow worse and worse, & his rule tyranous: for whilest his mother liued, there was some refuge left, because he had a long time accustomed to shew himselfe dutifull vnto her; and Seianus durst not crosse her: but then hauing as it were the bridle in their owne hands, they brake loose at once, and letters were sent against Agrippina and Nero; which the com∣mon people iudged to haue been sent before, but kept back by Augusta: for not long after her death they were read in Senate, containing bitter and sharp words; yet neuer obiected that he had borne armes, or stirred any rebellion against him, but only vnnatural loues to yong men, and incontinēt life. But against his daughter in law he durst not obiect so much, but only her arrogant and prowd speeches, and obstinate minde. The Senators were stroken into a feare and silence, vntill some few whose hopes depended not on honest meanes, but made publick calamities occa∣sion of priuat benefits; demaunded that the matter might be referred to voices:

Cotta Messallinus shewing himselfe most forward with a cruell sentence. But the other chiefe gentlemen, and especially the magistrates were afraid; for although Tiberius had angerly inueighed against them, yet he left other things in doubt. There was in the Senat one Iunius Rusticus, chosen by Caesar to set downe the actes of the Senators (and therefore was thought to know best his intent and purpose) who either by fatall destinie (for before he had giuen no token of his constancie) or subtle deuise, forgetting imminent perils, whilest he feareth vncertainties, thru∣steth himselfe among the Consuls yet wauering and doubting what to do; and aduiseth them not to put the matter to deliberation, saying: that greatest matters might be turned in a moment: and that some space of time ought to be giuen the old man to repent himselfe: and the people withall carying Agrippinaes and Neroes images with them, enuiron the Senat house, and wishing all prosperous fortune to Caesar, crie, that those letters were false; and that the ouerthrow of the Princes house was intended against the Princes will: and so there was nothing concluded that day in preiudice of the parties. Certaine counterfeit iudgements were spread abroad against Seianus vnder the Consuls names. Some men secretly, and therefore the more saucily practising their wits as their fancie lead them, which yeelded Seianus farther matter of calumniation, and kindled his anger: saying, that the Princes displeasure was nothing regarded: that the commons were at iarre with the Senate: that new orations and new decrees of Senate were heard and read now adayes. What remaineth but to take armes in hand? and choose those for their Captaines and Emperours, whose images they had followed for their ensignes? Whereupon Caesar reiterating his iniurious speeches against his nephewe and daughter in lawe, and rebuking the people by edict; complained to the Senate, that the imperiall maiestie had bene openly deluded and skorned through the fraude of one of the Senators: and therefore required that the hearing of the cause might be reserued wholy vnto himselfe. They consulted no farther on the matter, but con∣demned the parties, but not to death, because they were forbidden: and protested they were readie to execute reuenge, if the Prince had not hindered them.*

* There wanteth very much of the story in this place, which hath perished through time.

II. The death of Seianus; of his friends and children. One faineth himselfe to be Drusus Germanicus sonne.

WHether it be a more lamentable case to be accused for breach of friend∣ship, or to accuse his friend, I can not well iudge: * no mans crueltie or clemencie will I trie *: but free and bearing my selfe on my owne con∣science, I will preuent danger. I beseech you, that you would not haue me in re∣membrance rather in mourning and sad then ioyfull manner and cherefull, recko∣ning me in the number of those which haue escaped publick calamities by an ho∣norable end. Then talking now with one, now another, as by chance they were neere vnto him, he spent a great part of the day either in entertaining, or taking leaue of them. And hauing many about him, which noted how resolute & assured he was in countenance, no man dreaming any such matter, with a sword which he had hidden vnder his garments, slew himselfe: and after he was dead, Caesar vsed no such re∣prochfull

and iniurious speeches, nor obiected any such heinous matter against him, as he did against Blaesus. After this, P. Vitellius, and Pomponius Secundus cause was heard. Vitellius they accused, that he had offered the cofers of the publicke treasury whereof he had charge, and the money which was in them for souldiers pay, to stirrers vp of new broiles. The other Considius, who had been once Pretor, accused for hauing had great friendship and amitie with Velius Gallus, who after that Seianus was punished, fled to Pomponius gardens, as to a place of safe refuge: both of them in their distresse hauing no other comfort left but the constancie of their brothers, who became baile for their life. Shortly after, Vitellius through many delaies betwixt hope & feare wearied out, vnder colour of vsing it in his studie, asking for a penknife, lightly prickt a vaine; and ended his life, with griefe and anguish of minde. But Pomponius being a Gentleman of a gallant carriage and ex∣cellent wit, bearing aduerse fortune patiently, ouerliued Tiberius. Then was there order taken though the peoples anger were mitigated, and many others pacified with the former punishment, that the rest of Seianus children should be punished. Whereupon they were carried to prison, the sonne hauing some feeling of the dan∣ger which hung ouer his head; but the daughter was so simple, that she often asked, whither they would leade her, and for what? that she would do no more so; and that it was sufficient to chastice her with the rod like a childe. The writers of that time affirme, that because it was neuer heard of before, that a virgin should be put to death according to the custome of the Triumuiri: that she was deflowred by the executioner immediatly before the halter was put about her neck: and both strangled. The bodies of these yong and tender children were cast into the Gemo∣nies, a place where condemned persons were throwne downe headlong. About the same time, Asia and Achaia were put into a very great fright, though it con∣tinued not long, with a rumor that Drusus, Germanicus sonne, had beene seene first in the Ilands Cyclades, and afterward in the continent. But it was a yong man of like age, whome some of Caesars freed men by a subtile practise followed, bea∣ring men in hand, they knew it to be him. Such as knew him not, were drawne by the fame of his name, and the Greekes especially, prone to all new and strange wonders. It was reported he had escaped out of prison and fled to his fathers armie, some both faining and beleeuing withall that he would inuade Aegypt or Syria. Youth flocked alreadie to him very cheerefully; many signes of loue publickly shewen him, feeding themselues with the present vaine hope of what might hap∣pen. When as Poppaeus Sabinus had tidings thereof, who was then occupied in the affaires of Macedonia, had charge also ouer Achaia: he therefore, were the report true or false, to preuent all things, hastning ouer the Toronaean and Thermaean cut, and passing by Euboea, an Iland of the Aegean sea, and Piraeum a coast of Attique, the Corinthian shore, and the streights of Isthmum; by another sea came to Nicopolis, a colonie of the Romaines: and there after a carefull examination vnderstandeth who he should be. He said he was M. Silanus sonne, and that many of his followers hauing forsaken him, he embarked himselfe, as though he meant to trauell into Italie. These things he signified to Tiberius by writing: neither haue we found any thing more of the beginning or end of this mat∣ter. Towards the end of the yeere a quarrell of certaine Consuls burst forth, which had beene a long time a breeding. For Trio little regarding what enemies he pro∣cured, and well practised at the barre, vnderhand carped Regulus, as being careles in oppressing Seianus ministers. Regulus, vnlesse greatly prouoked, of a temperate

and cold humor, did not only answere and quaile his fellow Consull, but brought him within the compasse of conspiracie, and to be examined for it. And although many of the Lords of the Senate intreated them that they woulde surcease their quarrell, which would grow to their owne ouerthrow; yet they continued their grudge and menaces one against the other, vntill they went both out of office.

The end of the fift Booke.