The compleat courtier: or, The morals of the famous historian Cornelius Tacitus concerning flattery, &c. In above one hundred essays. Paraphras'd and illustrated with useful observations by the Sieur Amelo de la Houssaie and M. D'Ablancourt. Done out of French.

ESSAY LXI.

WHile he was hesitating in the Cities of Campania, how he might return to the City, and no less anxious whether to expect ei∣ther the Addresses of the Obsequi∣ous Senate, or the Favour of the People, all the most infamous of his Adherents argu'd against his vain fears, that Agrippina's name was be∣come odious, and that by her Death he had inflam'd the affection of the People toward him; and therefore that he should go with an undaunt∣ed Courage, and try the effects of their veneration upon the Place.

Says D'Ablancourt, While the Emper∣our staid in the Cities of Campania, uncer∣tain whether he should return to Rome, or seek the Applauses of the Senate and the

People first: (Tacitus does not say whether he should seek, but wait for, considering the Enormity of his Crime.) His Courtiers ad∣vis'd him to go on, and fear nothing; for that they should find the Affections of the People redoubl'd by the death of Agrippina, whose very memory they Execrated; and therefore that he should go Couragiously to reap the fruit of his Renown and Glory.

Tho' Princes are made believe that they have an absolute Liberty to do what er'e they please, yet are they touch'd with an inward Remorce, when they ei∣ther do or have committed any Act which is in it self unlawful. After Nero had caus'd his Mother to be murder'd, he durst not shew his Face, he wander'd from City to City, thinking to dissipate those Fears and Jealousies with which the apparition of his Crime that haunted him where er'e he went, continually tor∣mented his mind. But his Flatterers, accustom'd to extoll the most hainous miscarriages of great Personages, soon Cur'd him of his Shame and his Fear; persuading him that all the People of Rome rejoyc'd at Agrippina's death, and thought themselves beholding to him for having rid her out of the way, tho' every Body

in secret detested the Action, and had a bad opinion of Seneca, for the Letters which he wrote to the Senate, in Justifi∣cation of Nero. Ill done in Seneca, tho' seasonably perhaps, who after he had been beholding to Agrippina for all his Fortune, had the grace to lay to her charge all the Mischiefs, and all the acts of Injustice, that had been committed in Claudius's Reign. He whom she had re∣call'd from Exile, and advanc'd to be Tu∣tor to her Son, where he had rammass'd together above seven Millions of Gold in four Years. A fair Proof, that he knew how better to discourse of Benefits and Kindnesses then to acknowledge 'em; and that it is but too true, that how deeply soever Men are oblig'd to those who fall into Misfortue, they then believe the En∣gagement fully satisfy'd.