The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

THE ROMAN, AND JEWISH Story,

For the Year of CHRIST XXXVIII. And of TIBERIUS XXIII. The first Year also of CAIUS CALIGULA. Being the Year of the WORLD 3965. And of the City of ROME 790.

Consuls

• Cn. Proculus Acerronius.
• C. Pontius Nigrinus.

PART I. The ROMAN Story.

§. 1. Macro, all base.

THIS man had been mischievous ever since he had power to be so, but now was he so most of all, that he might keep that power of his afoot, or might raise it more and more. He was used by Tiberius as an instrument to bring down Sejanus, the one bad, and the other worse; and after he had done that, none must stand by his good will, that was likely to stand in his way: He was made Ma∣ster of the Praetorian Souldiers in Sejanus his stead, and as he possessed his place, so did he his favour with the Emperor, and the crookedness of his conditions: as if all the honours, fortune, and wickedness of Sejanus had been intailed upon Macro. An agent as fit for Tiberius as could be required, and a successor as fit for Sejanus. A man as bloody as the Tyrant could desire him, and sometimes more than he set him on work. He was the continual Alguazil and Inquisitor for the friends and complices of the late ruined Fa∣vorite, and under colour of that pursuit, he took out of the way, whosoever would not friend and comply with him. Of that number were Cn. Domitius, and Vibius Mar∣sus, accused with Albucilla the wife of Satrius secundus, for Adultery, but all three toge∣ther for conspiracy against the Emperor, yet was there no hand of the Emperors shewed for the prosecution of the matter, which shewed the only spleen and machination of the

Blood-hound Macro. Albucilla, whether guilty indeed or knowing that his malice and power would make her so, stabbed her self, thinking to have died by her own hand, but the wound not being deadly, she was taken away to prison. Grasidius and Fregellanus the pretended Pandars of her adulteries were punished the one with banishment, and the other with degradation, and the same penalty was inflicted upon Laelius Balbus: A man, but justly▪ paid in his own coin, to the rejoycing and content of divers, for he had been a strong and violent accuser of many innocents. Domitius and Marsus (it may be) as guilty as the woman, but more discreet, traversed the indictment, and saved their own lives, partly by the shortness of the Emperors life, and partly by the feigned prediction of Thrasyllus, that promised that it should be long. But too sullen was the indignation of L. Arruntius against Macro, and too desperate his ill conceit of Caius who was to succeed in the Empire, for when he was inwrapt in the same accusation with the two last named, and might have escaped the same escape that they did, yet despised he so to outlive the cruelty of Tiberius and Macro, as to come under the greater cruelty of Macro and Caius. No, saith he, I have lived long enough, and (to my sorrow) too long. Nor doth any thing repent me more, than that thus I have endured an old age under the scorns, dangers and hate, first of Sejanus, now of Macro, and always of one great one or another, and that for no other fault than for detesting their flagitiousness. It is true indeed that I may survive the old age and weakness of Tiberius, but what hopes to do so by the youth of Caius, and wickedness of Ma∣cro? Can Caius a youth do well being led by Macro, who so corrupted Tiberius in his age? No, I see more tyranny like to come than hath been yet: And therefore will I deliver my self from the present misery, and that to come: And with these words and resolution, he cut his own veins, and so bled to death: and spent a blood and a spirit, what pity it was that they should have been so lost? As Macro thus divided his pains in cruelty, betwixt the satisfying of Tiberius his mind and his own malice, so also did he, his affections shall I say? or flattery rather, and own-end observances betwixt Tiberius and Caius. For as he sought to please the one that now ruled, for his own present security, so did he, to indear the other that was to succeed, for his future safety: Hereupon he omitted not any opportu∣nity nor occasion, that he might skrew Caius further and further into Tiberius his favour, and to keep him there, that he might do as much for himself into the favour of Caius. One rarity and non-parallel of obsequiousness he shewed to the young Prince, worth recording to his shame, for he caused his own wife Ennia Thrasylla to intangle the youth∣fulness of Caius into her love and adultery, and then parted he with her and gave her to him in marriage. The old Emperor could not but observe this monster of pretended friendship, nor were his old eyes so blind, but he perceived his flattery plain in other car∣riages, in so much that he brake out to him in these plain words: Well, thou forsakest the setting Sun, and only lookest upon the rising.

§. 2. A wicked woman.

With the wife of Macro, that made her own prostitution to become her husbands pro∣motion, may not unfitly be yoaked, the mother of Sex. Papinius that made her own lust her sons overthrow: Whether this were the Papinius that was the last years Consul, or his son, or some other of the same name and family, it is no great matter worth in∣quiring, but whosoever he was, infortunate he was in his mother: for she caused his end, as she had given him his beginning. She being lately divorced from her husband, betook herself unto her son, whom with flattery and loosness she brought to perpetrate such a thing, that he could find no remedy for it, when it was done but his own death. The consequent argueth that the fault was incest, for when he had cast himself from an high place, and so ended his life, his mother being accused for the occasion, was banished the City for ten years, till the danger of the slipperiness of her other sons youth was past and over.

PART II. The JEWISH Story.

§. 1. Preparations of war against Aretas.

THE terrible and bitter message of the Emperor to Vitellius against King Aretas, must be obeyed, though more of necessity than of any zeal of Vitellius in He∣rods quarrel. He therefore raising what forces he accounted fitting for his own safety in the Emperors favour, and for his safety with the enemy, march∣eth toward the seat of the war, intending to lead his Army through Judea: But he was diverted from this intention, by the humble supplication of the Jews to the contrary, who took on how contrary it was to their ancient Laws and customs to have any Images and pictures brought into their Country, whereof there was great store in the Romans Arms and Banners. The gentleness of the General was easily overtreated, and command∣ing his Army another way, he himself with Herod and his friends went up to Jerusalem, where he offered sacrifice, and removed Jonathan from the High-priesthood, and placed Theophilus his brother in his stead. This was, saith Josephus, at a feast of the Jews, but he named not which; and Vitellius having stayed there three days, on the fourth recei∣veth letters concerning Tiberius his death. I leave it to be weighed by the Reader whe∣ther this festival were the Passover or Pentecost. For on the one hand since Tiberius died about the middle of March as the Roman Historians do generally agree, it is scarce possi∣ble that the Governor of Syria and the Nations of the East should be unacquainted with it, till Pentecost which was eight or nine weeks after: For all the Empire must as soon as possible be sworn unto the new Prince, as Vitellius upon the tidings did swear Judea, and so long a time might have bred some unconvenience. And yet on the contrary it is very strange, that the intelligence of his death should be so quick as to get from Rome to Jerusalem between the middle of March and the middle of the Passover week.

Vitellius upon the tidings recalleth his Army again, and disposeth and billeteth them in the several places where they had wintered, for he knew not whether Caius would be of the same mind with Tiberius about the matter of Aretas and Herod: you may guess how this news was brooked by the Arabian King, and yet was it no other than what he looked for, if he believed what he himself spake. For hearing of the preparations of Vitellius against him, and consulting with Wizards and Augury; This Army, saith he, shall not come into Arabia, for some of the Commanders shall die; Either he that commandeth the war, or he that undertaketh it, or he for whom it is undertaken: meaning either Tiberius, Vitellius, or Herod.

§. 2. An Omen to Agrippa in chains.

Such another wizardly presage of the Emperors death, had Agrippa at Rome as Jose∣phus also relateth, who relateth the former. For as he stood bound before the Palace, leaning dejectedly upon a tree, among many others that were prisoners with him, an Owl came and sate in that tree, to which he leaned, which a Germane seeing, being one of those that stood there bound, he asked who he was that was in the purple, and lean∣ed there: and understanding who he was: he told him of his inlargement, promotion to honour, and prosperity, and that when he should see that bird again, he should die with∣in five days after. And thus will the credulity of superstition have the very birds to fore∣tel Tiberius his end, from the Phenix to the Owl.

The Roman Story again.

§. 1. Tiberius near his end.

TWice only did Tiberius proffer to return to the City after his departure from it, but returned never. The later time was not very long before his end: For being come within the sight of the City upon the Appian rode, this prodigy (as he took it) affrighted him back. He had a tame Serpent, which coming to feed as he used to do with his own hand, he found him eaten up by Pismires: upon which ominous acci∣dent being advised not to trust himself among the multitude, he suddenly retired back to Campany, and at Astura he fell sick. From thence he removed to Circeii, and thence to Misenum, carrying out his infirmity so well, that he abated not a whit of his former sports, banquets and voluptuousness: whether for dissimulation, or for habitual intemperance, or upon Thrasyllus his prediction, let who will determine. He used to mock at Physick, and to scoff at those, that being thirty years of age, yet would ask other mens counsel, what was good or hurtful for their own bodies.

§. 2. His choise of a successor.

But weakness at the last gave him warning of his end, and put him in mind to think of his successor: and when he did so, perplexity met with such a thought. For whom should he choose? The son of Drusus was too young, the son of Germanicus was too well beloved, and Claudius was too soft; should he choose the first or the last, it might help to disgrace his judgment, should he choose the middle, he might chance to disgrace his own memory among the people, and for him to look elsewhere was to disgrace the fa∣mily of the Caesars. Thus did he pretend a great deal of care and seriousness for the good of the Commonwealth, whereas his main aim and respect was, at his own credit and families honour. Well: something he must pretend to give countenance and credit to his care of the common good. In fine his great deliberation concluded in this easie issue, namely in a prayer to the Gods to design his successor, and in an auspicium of his own hatching, that he should be his successor that should come first in to him upon the next morning, which proved to be Caius. It shewed no great reality nor earnestness for the common good in him at all, when so small a thing as this must sway his judgment, and such a trifle be the casting voice in a matter of so great a moment. His affection was more to young Tiberius, his nephew, but his policy reflected more upon Caius: he had rather Tiberius might have had the rule alone, and yet he was unwilling that Caius should go without it, seeming to divide his affections betwixt the two, whereas his chief thoughts and respects were to his own self. But Caius whom the Gods had cast upon it (as his foolish auspicium perswaded him) must be the man, though he read in his nature the very bane of the Empire: and yet for affection sake too must young Tiberius be joynt heir with him, though he foresaw and foretold that Caius should murder him. A monstrous policy: to lay his own grandchild for a bait, for those jaws that he knew would devour him: and this was, that by that present cruelty of Caius his own cruelties that were past might be forgotten, and the talk of that might not give room to talk of old Tiberius. This was that pretended care that he had of the Commonwealth, to be sure to leave one behind him that should be worse than himself, that by his greater wickedness his own might be lessened, and that himself might seem to be less vitious, by the others vitious∣ness above him. Yet giveth he counsel to Caius, inciting him to goodness which he him∣self could never follow, and exhorting him to tenderness towards young Tiberius, which in his heart he was reasonably indifferent whether he followed or no.

§. 3. His death.

Charicles the Doctor gave notice of his death approaching, to Caius and Macro, though he stole this judgment and conjecture but by a sleight. For sitting with the Em∣peror at a Banquet, and taking on him some earnest and speedy occasion to be gone to some other place, he rose from the Table, and pretending to take the Emperors hand to kiss, he closely and stealingly tried his Pulse, which Tiberius perceiving, but not expres∣sing so much, caused him to take his place again, and the Banquet to be renewed, and

him to set out the meal. But when the Doctor was got loose from the Table, and was come to Caius and Macro, and the rest of the adorers of that imperial Sun that was now waiting when he should rise, he resolved them that his end drew on apace, and was not many days off: And then was all preparation for the new Emperor when the last gaspe should remove the old. But he that had used so much dissimulation all his life, dissembled even in his dying. For fainting and swooning so very sore, that all conceived he was de∣parted, and Caius and all his favorites were gone forth to take possession of his new Em∣pire: suddenly the tune is turned, and news comes forth that Tiberius is revived and cal∣leth for meat: Macro that had often been his instrument of cruelty upon others, turns the faculty now upon himself, and in stead of meat stopt his mouth with a pillow, or with heaping cloaths upon his face and so he died. There are indeed diversities of opi∣nion about the manner of his death, some saying it was thus as is mentioned, others that it was by poyson, others that it was by being denied meat in the intermission of his ••its▪ others that he rose out of his bed and fell on the floor, no body being near him: all which are mentioned by Suetonius. It is not much material what his end was, that that is first named is most intertained, and certainly it suiteth very well with his deservings, and it is some wonder that he came to such an end no sooner. He died the seventeenth of the Calends of April or the sixteenth of March, or if Dion may have his will the seventh, and so the rest of that year is accounted the first of Caius.

SECT. 4. CAIUS.

AN evil Emperor is gone, but a worse is to succeed him. Caius the son of Germani∣cus, a bad child of a good father, inheriting the love and favour of the people for his fathers sake, till he forfeited it, by his reserving the qualities of Tiberius. He was surnamed Caligula, from a garb that he wore in the Camp, in which he was bred and edu∣cated: from whence he had the love of the Souldiers, till his barbarous nature lost it. It may seem incredible, that a worse disposition should ever be found than that of Tibe∣rius, but the old Politician saw that this was so much beyond it, that it would do him credit: some impute the fault to his bloody Nurse one Pressilla a Campanian, the custom of which Country it was, that the women when they were to give their children suck, they first anointed the Nipple with the blood of an Hedg-hog, to the end their children might be the more fierce and cruel. This woman was as savage above the rest of the Na∣tion, as they were above other women, for her breasts were all hairy over, like the beards of men, and her activity and strength in martial exercises inferiour to few of the Infantry of Rome. One day as she was giving Caligula the Pap, being angry at a young child that stood by her, she took it and tore it in pieces, and with the blood thereof anointed her breasts and so set her nursling Caius to suck both blood and milk. But had not his infan∣cy been educated in such a Butchery, the school of his youth had been enough to have ha∣bituated him to mischief. For being brought up in the sight, and at the elbow of Tibe∣rius, it would have served to have corrupted the best nature that could be; but this of his was either never good, or at least was spoiled long before. Yet had he reasonably well learned his Tutors art of dissimulation, so that he hid those Serpentine conditions, not only before Tiberius his death, but also a while after he had obtained the Empire. Only he that had taught him to weave this mantle of dissembling could spie through it, insomuch that he would profess, That Caius lived for the destruction of him and all others. And that he hatched up a snake for the Roman Empire, and a Phaeton for all the world. And it proved so both to him and them. For when Tiberius lay a gasping stifled with a pillow prest upon him, he also throtled him with his hand, and crucified one of his servants that cried out upon the hideousness of the fact. And as for his demeanor toward the State, a little time will give too lamentable witness.

§. 5. Tiberius in a manner cruel being dead.

How welcom news, the tydings of Tiberius death were at Rome, may be easily con∣jectured, by any that hath observed his cruelties before. Some cried out, Tiberius into Tiber, some to the hurdle and Tyburne, some to one thing, some to another, using the more

liberty of their Tongues against the Tyrant now, by how much they had been tied up the straiter whilst he lived. Nor did the remembrance of his former cruelties only cause them to rejoyce for his death, but a present cruelty, (as if he were bloody being dead) made him the more odious to them, than alive. For certain men that were but lately con∣demned, and their execution day falling upon the very day when tydings of his death came to the City (for the Senate did ever allow ten days for the condemned persons after their sentence, before their end) the poor men emplored the aid and comfort of every one they met, because Caius to whom they should have sued was not in the City, but they were haled away by the Executioners and strangled.

§. 6. Agrippa in a perplexity, and inlarged.

Agrippa was partaker of the common joy, but withal of some mixture of misery, for such variety of fortune had he tasted ever, and now must he have a farewel to such vicis∣situdes. Marsyas his freeman hearing the rumour in the City, runneth with all speed to certifie his Master; and finding him with some company in the ways toward the Bath, he beckneth to him with this speech in the Hebrew Tongue, The Lion is dead. With which tydings Agrippa was so transported with joy, that the Centurion his Keeper perceived it, and inquiring the reason, and being told it by Agrippa, he rejoyced with him for the news, and looseth him from his Bonds. But as they were at Supper, there cometh a con∣trary report that Tiberius was alive, and would ere long be in the City. What now think you is become of the heart and mettle of Agrippa and his Centurion? Both had done enough by this their present joy, to procure their endless sorrow, and his Keeper the worse of the two; but Agrippa must smart for all for the present. He therefore casts him into irons again, and committeth him to a surer Guard than before: And thus, as his too much eagerness of Tiberius his death had imprisoned him before, even so doth it now: but the next morning puts him into life again, for the rumor of the old Emperours death, is confirmed by Letters from the new; and a special Warrant cometh from him for the inlarging of Agrippa out of Prison, to the house where he had used to live before.

§. 7. Caius cometh to Rome.

The Corps of the dead Tyrant is carried by the Souldiers into the City, Caius him∣self in mourning apparel following the Hearse; and there he maketh his Funeral Oration, and performeth his Obsequies with great pomp and solemnity. And on the very day of his comming to Town he had enlarged Agrippa, but that the advice of Antonia perswad∣ed him to hold a while, lest the people should suspect that he was glad of the death of Ti∣berius, if he should so sodainly set free one that he had committed for an enemy. But within a few days he is inlarged and sent for home unto him. And there is he trimmed, his garments changed, and he crowned King of the Tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias, and his chain of iron, and of his bondage, changed for a chain of Gold of the same weight. This is that King Agrippa that slew James, and imprisoned Peter, and is called Herod, Acts 12.

§. 8. Caius his dissembling.

Caius his beginnings were plausible and popular, dissembling his cursed dispositions un∣der such crafty colours, that the people were transported with so happy a change (as they supposed) and 160000 Sacrifices were slain for gratulation in his three first months. His tears for Tiberius, his piety to his dead Mother and Brother, his respect to his living Sis∣ters, his fair words to the Senate, and as fair carriage to the people, his paying of Lega∣cies, his inlarging of Prisoners, his remitting of offences, his reviving of good Laws, &c. made the people to forget either in what School of dissimulation he had been brought up, or how soon so great advancement corrupteth men of little education; and it made them vainly to hope that they had a Germanicus, because they had his son; and that a good Prince could be bequeathed to them by Tiberius.

Yet could he not hide the ilness of his disposition under all these cloaks and coverts of dissembling; for presently upon his coming to the City, he disanulled the will of Tiberius that he might nullifie the authority of his partner of the same name in the rule and Em∣pire: And yet did he pay all the Legacies of old Tiberius with bountiful additions of his own, which shewed that he disliked the will, only because of partnership of Tiberius the

younger. Having thus the whole sway and dominion devolved upon himself, by the out∣ing of his poor Cousin (for the Senate was made and packed by Macro for such a purpose) he was received with as much joy and applause, as was possible to express, upon the old memory of his Father, and the present expectation of himself. Nor was this jocundness confined in the narrow bonds of Rome and Italy, but dilated it self through all the Em∣pire, in every corner where the hoped benefit, and happy fruit of so great an expectation would have come, had it proved right. Every Country, City and Town was poured forth into exultation and festivity, with a common joy in this common hope. Now could you have seen nothing but Altars, Offerings, Sacrifices, Feasts, Revels, Banquets, Plays, Dancings, merry Faces, crowned Heads, singing Tongues and joyful Hearts, that the World seemed to be ravished besides it self, and all misery to be banished out of it, and all the thoughts of a changing fortune utterly forgot. Had Tiberius but spied this work out of his Coffin, how would he have laughed for company, to behold this deludedness of the people, and dissimulation of the Prince? And thus lasted this musick and masking for his first seven months, in which the new Emperor behaved himself with that moderation and bravery, as if vertue it self had been come among them.

In the eighth month a grievous sickness seized upon him, and then was all this mirth and melody turned to mourning and lamentation: each man sorrowful, and women bemoan∣ing, as if all the world had been sick as well as he. Now was their songs turned into Tears, their revelling into Prayers, and their festivals to Vows for his recovery. Nay, so far did some strain the expression of their affections, that they vowed their heads and lives for his restoring. Nor could the people be so much blamed for this their sorrow, as pitied for being thus deceived, nor could it so much be wondred at that they were de∣ceived, as it was wonderful that he could so deceive. For who could have chosen but have erred their error, that had seen what they beheld; and who could have brought them into such an error, but such a one as he, who was both a Caius and a scholar of Ti∣berius? When he paid the Legacies of Tiberius, he also discharged those of Julia which Tiberius had stopped, and added a considerable sum of his own bounty: He gathered the ashes of his Mother and Brother, and committed them to their Urne with his own hands, choosing a tempestuous season purposely when he travailed about that business, that his pie∣ty might be blown about the more; and he instituted annual Festivals for them. Nor must his Father Germanicus be forgotten, nor indeed could he, nor did he deserve it, for his memory therefore would he have the month September to be called by his name, placing him in the Calendar next Augustus. His Grandmother Antonia he also dignified and deified equally with Livia; and that by the consent and decree of the Senate. His Uncle Clau∣dius he honoured with partnership with him in the Consulship; and his Brother and partner Tiberius, with adoption to put him in future hopes now he had lost his present ones; and he titled him The Prince of the Youth, to stop his mouth belike, when he had put him beside his being the Prince of Men. But as for his Sisters, the sequel shewed that it was more doting and lust than pure brotherly affection, that caused him to shew these expressions: that in all oaths that were administred to any, this must be one clause to which they must swear, That they neither accounted themselves nor their children, dearer than Caius and his Sisters: and this in all the Records of the Consuls, Which he for the happiness of Caius and his Sisters, &c. The like popularity used he likewise to the people, releasing the condemned, and recalling the banished; condemning on the contrary all en∣ormities in Judicature, and banishing all incentives to evil manners. Forgiving his own private grievances, and satisfying for injuries done by his Predecessors; that it was no marvail if the whole State were sick in the sickness of such a Prince.

§. 9. Caius beginning to shew himself in his own colours.

Not to insist longer upon the vizor of this dissembler, but to take him as he was, and not as he seemed, his nature began more evidently to shew it self after his recovery of his sickness, mentioned, and then the State began by degrees to be sick indeed. His be∣ginnings were in lightness, sports, and lavishing of money; but his proceedings were in bestiality, cruelty and effusion of blood. His Banquets, Plays, Sword-fights, Fighting of Beasts (as 400 Bears, and as many other African wild Beasts at one time) his Musick, Shews, strictness that none should be absent from them, and expensiveness in all (insomuch that he spent above twenty millions in such vanities in less than three years) may be thought as vertues in him, in comparison of that that followed, and of the mischiefs that he mingled between.

§. 10. Caius cruel.

The recovery of the Emperor Caius, from that disease under which we left him ere while, proved the sickness of the whole State, and the death of divers. For now he be∣gan to shew himself in his own colour, and to lay open the inside of his barbarous na∣ture, which hitherto he had hid under strange dissimulation. P. Asranius Petitus a Ple∣beian, and Atanius Secundus a Knight, had bound themselves by oath, in the Emperors sickness, partly in flattery, partly in hope of reward, the one that he would die on con∣dition the Prince might recover; and the other that he would venture his life in combate on the same condition. Caius understanding of this obligation, and pretending that he would have neither of them perjured, seeing he was now well again, constrained them both to perform their vows, and brought them to repent their flattery with repentance too late and vain, and to a reward clean contrary to their expectation. Nor was his cru∣elty any whit less, though for very shame it must be better dissembled, to his Father in Law the noble Silanus. A man hated of him for the two main things that in humane so∣ciety are the tyes of love, vertue, and alliance, and so indignly used him, that he found no way to regain his love, nor any better to avoid his hate than to murder himself with his own hands. Claudia the daughter of Silanus was his wife, but he divorced her from him, and took Cornelia Orestilla, from her husband Calpurnius Piso, on their very wedding day, where he was present at the solemnization, and he kept her not two months, but sent her to her Piso again.

§. 11. Young Tiberius brought to a miseriable end.

These entries being made for the fleshing as it were the Tyrant in bloodiness and cru∣elty, he is now made ready and fit to execute a more horrible design upon his poor Bro∣ther, partner and son by adoption, the young and innocent Tiberius. He poor Prince having been thrust by him out of his right and patrimony, by the nullifying of old Tibe∣rius his will, must now also be deprived of life. This was it that the old Testator did presage, and yet would leave him for a prey to his inhumanity. The pretences against this young Prince were, that either he had been a means to cause his sickness, or at least had rejoyced in it, and desired his death. A sleight accusation to bring such a Person to death; yet might he only have died, it might have seemed more tolerable, but the man∣ner of it made the cruelty double. He is commanded to die by his own hand, though Tribunes, Centurions, and men of war fitter far to have done such an execution stood by and would have done it. He desired but this mercy, that he might have been slain by some of them, but that was denied him upon a point of Honor and Justice forsooth, be∣cause it was not fit that such a Prince should die by inferior hands. The poor Prince of∣fered his neck to every one that stood near, but they durst not strike for fear of their own: The only favour that he could obtain was this, that they might teach him where to wound himself for his soonest dispatch, and so he did. And thus is the Tyrant delivered as he thinketh from all fear and danger of compartnership and corrivality in the Empire: next will he take a course with those that any way may cross him in, or advise him against his headlong humors, and of them we shall hear in their course. The last six months of this year he had taken the Consulship upon himself, and had chosen his Uncle Claudius for his colleague, but we have reserved the names of the old till now, to avoid con∣fusion.