That the Romaines in abridging that liberty (with the Poets would haue vsed vpon men,) and in allowing them to vse it vpon their gods, did herein shew, that they prized themselues aboue their gods. CHAP. 12.
BVt the Romaines (as Scipio glorieth in that booke of the common wealth) would by no meanes haue the good names and manners of their cittizens liable to the quippes and censures of the Poets, but inflicted a capitall punishment vpon all such as durst offend in that kind: which indeed (in respect of themselues) was honestly and well instituted, but in respect of their gods most proudly and irre∣ligiously, for though they knew that their gods were not onely pacient, but euen well pleased at the representing of their reproaches and exorbitances, yet would they hold them-selues more vnworthy to suffer such iniuries then their gods, thrusting such things into their sollemnities, as they auoyded from them∣selues by all rigor of lawes. Yea Scipio; dost thou commend the restraint of this poeticall liberty in taxing your persons, when thou seest it hath beene euer free to callumniate your gods? Dost thou value the (a) Court alone so much more then the Capitoll, then all Rome, nay then all heauen, that the Poets must be cur∣bed by an expresse law, from flowring at the Citizens, and yet without all con∣troll of Senator, Censor, Prince, or Priest, haue free leaue to throw what slander they please vpon the gods? what? was it so vnseemely for Plautus, or Naeuius to traduce P. or Cneius Scipio; or for Caecilius to ieast vpon M. Cato? and was it seeme∣ly for (b) your Terence to animate a youth to vncleannesse, by the example of the deed of high and mighty Iupiter.
L. VIVES.
YOur (a) Court] The Court, was the place where the senate sat: here it is vsed for the Sena∣tors: * 1.1 the Capitoll, for the gods themselues, (b) your Terence] for indeed he was very familiar with Scipio and Laelius, and many thinke that they helped him in writing of his com∣medies, which he himselfe glanceth at in his prologue to his Adelphy. Memmius thinkes he meanes of Scipio, (in that Oration which he made for himselfe.) Quintilian lib, 10. Institut. Of Laelius, Cornelius Nepos maketh mention, and Tully also in one of his epistles vnto Atticus: but from other mens reports.