The annales of Cornelius Tacitus. The description of Germanie

I. Of Tiberius lasciuious life. Pursuing of Liuia and Seianus. Cotta accused.

CN. Domitius and Camillus Scribonianus entered the Consul∣ship, when Caesar hauing passed the streight betwixt Capreas and Surrentum, coasted Campania, doubtfull whether he should enter into the citie or not: perhaps because he had otherwise resolued in his minde, though making shew he would come: oftentimes approching neere the citie, and to the gardens along Tiber, and returning back againe to the rocks, and deserts of the sea, to couer the shame of his lasciuious life: which so vnstayedly he wallowed in, that, as the manner of the kings was, he defiled and abused noble mens sonnes vnder age; and not only the welfauored and comelyest, but the modest and well nurtured, and whose modest behauiour shewed the stock from whence they grew, serued him for prouocation of filth. Then first of all were those vnknowen words of Sellaries and Spintries found out of the filthines of the place, and sundrie sorts of sufferance of abuse. Some of his slaues had charge to seeke them out, and bring them to him; alluring such by gifts as shewed themselues willing and readie; and threatning such as refused: and if either their neere friends or parents went about to detaine them, they vsed violence, and caried them away perforce; and ex∣ercised their willes on them as if they had been captiues. But at Rome in the begin∣ning of the yeare seuere iudgements were giuen against Liuia, and against her ima∣ges, and other memories consecrated in her honor; as if her lewdnes had then first come to light, and had not been alreadie punished. The Scipioes gaue their opinion, that Seianus goods should be taken from the publick treasury, and put in the Prin∣ces priuat cofers. The Silanians and Cassians were of the same opinion, and vrged it with the same tearmes, or not greatly changed: when on the sudden and vnloo∣ked for, Togonius Gallus among those noble men, thrusting himselfe forward, being but of base and low calling, had the hearing giuen him, as a matter to laugh at: for he desired the Prince to choose twentie by lot out of a certaine number of Sena∣tors, to gard and defend his person with weapon, as oft as he went to the Senate. He beleeued peraduenture that Tiberius had meant good earnest when he requi∣red that one of the Consuls might conduct and aide him from Caprea to the citie. Tiberius neuerthelesse accustomed sometimes to interlace serious matters with skoffes, thanked the Lords for their good will: yet demaunded whom he might omit? or whom he might choose? whether alwaies the same, or sometimes others in their steede? such as had borne office, or yong men: priuate persons or magi∣strates? what a goodly sight it would be to see them take a sword in hand at the en∣trie of the councell house? neither would he make such accompt of his life, if he were to maintaine it by armes. This he answered to Togonius, tempering his words, and perswaded no farther the disallowing of that opinion. But he rebuked Iunius Gallio very bitterly, who propounded that the souldiers of the gard after their seruice was ended, might haue a roome in the fortieth ranke of seates: and asked

him as it had been in their presence, what he had to do with souldiers? for whom it was not lawfull either to receiue commaundement or gift, but of the Emperour: or whether he had found out that which Augustus of famous memory could not prouide for? It was rather a matter of discord and sedition, sought for by one of Seianus followers, to stirre vp rude mindes vnder title of honor to corrupt the custome of seruice. This was the reward which Gallio receiued for his artificiall flatterie; and anon after was driuen out of the councell house, and then out of Italy. And because it was obiected that he could easily indure exile, hauing made choise of the famous and noble Ile of Lesbos, he was recalled to the citie, and kept in the magistrates houses. In the same letters, to the great contentment of the Lords of the Senate, Caesar touched Sestius Pagonianus, who had been sometimes Pretor, to the quick: audacious, malignant, and prying into all mens secrets; beloued of Seia∣nus, and by him employed to lay snares to intrap C. Caesar: which being once layd open, all the hatred a long time hatched against him burst foorth; and sentence of death decreed against him, if he had not promised to bewray the complices. But when Acreus had accused Latinius Latiaris hated both alike, it was a most gratefull spectacle vnto all. Latiaris, as I haue rehearsed before, was the principall agent of circumuenting Titius Sabinus; and then the first that receiued punishment for it. Among these accusations Haterius Agrippa setteth vpon the Consuls of the last yeere, asking them why they are now so still, and cease from the accusations begun the one against the other? it was feare, and guilt of conscience which made them friends; but the Lords of the Senate would not so put vp that which they had heard. Regulus said, he would stay for a time of reuenge, and that he would prose∣cute the matter before the Prince. Trio answered, that emulation and enuie be∣twixt collegues were better forgotten; and iniurious words if any had passed. Agrip∣pa vrging on still, Sanquinius Maximus one of the Consuls, desired the Senators that they would not increase the Emperours cares by hunting after matter of dis∣like, and that he himselfe was able to redresse these things; and so Regulus life was saued, and Trioes ruine deferred. Haterius was so much the more odious, because that withered and vnlustie with sleepe, or lasciuious watchings, and through his dull drousie disposition, nothing fearing the Prince, though cruell, euen in his brothell houses, and loosest lasciuiousnes, dreamt of nothing but how to subuert the nobili∣tie. After that, Cotta Messalinus, the author of euery cruell sentence, and hated of old, as soone as occasion was offered, was accused to haue vttered certaine things a∣gainst Caesar; and among others, that he was in his secret parts both man and wo∣man, and after a banket on the birth day of Augusta among the Priests, he tearmed that a Nouendinale supper, or belonging to a mortuary: & that repining at M. Lepi∣dus, and L. Arruntius power and authoritie, hauing a sute depending against them for a money matter, he should say, that them the Senate would defend, but me my little Tiberius will support. The chiefe of the citie conuicted him without any delay, and pursuing him eagerly, he appealed to the Emperour. And not long after letters were brought from Tiberius, in which in manner of a defence, calling to minde the beginning of friendship betweene him and Cotta, and his many good turnes and seruices, requested that words might not be hardly wrested, and that the simplicitie of table talk might not be imputed to him as a crime. The beginning of these letters of Caesars was worth the noting, which was this: What I shall write vnto you Lords of the Senate, or how I shall write, and what I shall not write at all, at this time the gods and the goddesses confound me worse then I feele and know my selfe daily to perish, if I know. So far his villanous demeanor turned to his own scourge & punish∣ment.

And therefore that most deepe wise man did not say without cause, that if ty∣rants minds were laid open, a man should see them torne & rent in sunder: for as the bodie is rent with stripes; so the mind is tormēted with crueltie, wanton affectiōs, & euil counsels. For neither his great fortune, nor solitarie places could defēd Tiberius, but that himself confessed the torments & punishmēt which lay hidden in his breast. Then the Senators hauing receiued authoritie to determin of Caecilianus according to their wils, who had vttered manie things against Cotta: their iudgmēt was that he should receiue the same punishmēt, that Aruseius & Sanquinius had, who were L. Ar∣runtius accusers. Then the which nothing euer hapned more honorable to Cotta: who being indeed of noble birth, but through riot needie, and infamous for his vices, in honorable punishmēt is made equall to Arruntius, a man of sincere and honest life.