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CARINUS was one of the impurest of Men. I am ashamed to repeat, what Onesimus hath written of him. An Adulterer, vicious with Boys whom he frequently debauched, and passive in an Act which is it self contrary to the Nature of his Sex.
His Father, going to the Persian War, left him to be the Governour over Gallia, Italy,
Illyricum, Spain, Britain, and Africa, under the Title of a Caesar, but with the full Power of an Emperor. In this Government he strange∣ly dishonoured himself with enormous Vices and Actions. All the best Persons about him,* 1.2 he banished; and took and kept others in their room, who were of the worst of Mankind. He made one of his Porters the Governour of the City of Rome, than which nothing can be thought nor mentioned, more shameful. The Captain of the Guards, which he had, he kil∣led, and into his place he put Matronianus, an old Pimp. His Secretary, another of his Pimps, who was always privy to his Lusts, and assisted him in them, he made a Consul against the express Orders of the Emperor his Father. He writ haughty Letters to the Senate; threatned to give away their Estates amongst the Mob of the City. He married Nine Wives, taking one and putting away another; several of which he put away big with Child. He filled the Court with Mimicks, Courtezans, Actresses, Singers and Pimps. He disdained the signing of Dispatches himself; so that he kept a wretch who was his Jester, always at Noons, to sign them for him; and many times he played up∣on him agreeably for imitating his hand well. He wore Jewels upon his Shooes; never wore a Button, but what was of a Jewel. His Belt was often set with Jewels. He never did the Consuls or the great Officers of the State, the Honour to step to meet them coming. The Lewd were much in his Favour, and always invited to his Table. He had ordinarily a
hundred Pound of Birds, the same of Fish, and a thousand of Flesh of several sorts at a Meal. He spent a great deal of Wine. He swam (as I may say) amongst Fruits and Melons. He strew'd his Chambers and his Beds with Roses. His hot water Baths, when he bathed, were no more than Lukewarm. His cold Baths were of Snow-water. Coming in the Winter to a place where there was a Spring of very warm Water, as it naturally uses to be the war∣mer in the Winter, and the Bath being sup∣plied with the same, says he to the Waiters, You give me here Woman's Water; which (they say) was one of best things he ever said. It would be tedious to tell at large the rest of his Luxuries. Fulvius Asprianus hath also already done it: Let the Reader who desires to know every thing so particularly go to him. The Emperor Carus his Father, when he heard how he behaved himself, disowned him, and cried, He is none of mine. And had he lived, he would have deprived him of his Caesarean Dignity and Power again. Onesimus says, he would have put him to Death, and advanced Constantius to his place, who was then the Pre∣sident of Dalmatia, and was afterwards made Caesar, than whom no Man was fitter for that Honour.
Carinus, after both his Father and his Bro∣ther were dead, and Dioclesian was set up to be Emperor, gave himself more than ever to Vice and Extravagance, as if he was now more free, and eased of the Tyes of the Examples and domestick Admonitions of his Family.
However, he wanted not the Vigour of mind to challenge the Empire. He fought for it against Dioclesian several Battels. In the last* 1.3 of which, a Town in Maesia, he was conquer∣ed and killed.
This was the end of these Three Princes, Carus, Numerian, and Carinus. The Gods have given to us, since them, the Emperors Diocle∣sian and Maximian, to whom they have wor∣thily joyned Galerius and Constantius, whereof the former was born, to deface the ignominy of the Captivity of Valerian, and the other to restore Gallia to the Obedience of the Romans. These are the four great Princes of the World, Valiant, Wise, Benign, Generous, of one Sen∣timent for the Good and Interests of the State, always reverencing the Senate, Moderate, Friends of the People, Grave, Good, Religious, and such in fine, as we have ever prayed to have; whose Lives are severaliy written by Claudius Eusthenius, sometime Secretary to Dioclesian, which I therefore mention, because I would not that so great a Work should be expected from me, considering the Difficulty of speak∣ing upon living Princes, blameless.
One thing yet is very memorable in the Go∣vernment of the Emperor Carus, and of his two Sons, Numerian, and Carinus. They adorned the Publick Games, with which they enter∣tained the People before they went to the Per∣sian War, with Shews altogether new and strange, which we see are painted upon a Gal∣lery in a part of the Palace, to continue the memory of them to Posterity. There was a
Rope-Dancer, who seemed, as if he moved or* 1.4 flew in the Air; the Cord on which he danced was so very small, you could scarce see it. A∣nother Man ran upon the edge of a Wall with Dancing Bears at his Heels. There was a Symphony of a hundred Trumpets, a hundred Haut-Boys, a hundred Pipes, a hundred Flutes, with Voices to them; a thousand Pantomimes, who danced all sorts of Anticks; others, that were Wrestlers, Runners, Leapers. There was an Engine which represented the Burning of Towns, the Flames whereof taking hold on a part of the Amphitheatre, Dioclesion after∣wards repaired it, and made it more Magni∣ficent. Mimicks from all Countries, were pro∣vided to be here. Then there was a sport per∣formed by the Sarmatian Captives of Vaulting upon Horses, which is as pleasant as any thing in the World. Then there were those that a∣cted the Cyclopaean Postures; and all these Mu∣sicians, Players, Sports men, and the Graecian Artists had Gold and Silver given them, and Garments of Silk. I cannot tell how much the People are ingratiated by such kind of things. But sure I am, that several other good Emperors have made no great Account of them. Dioclesian, when an Officer commen∣ded to him these very Theatrical and Circen∣sian Games of Carus, replied only, Then Carus had laughing enough in his time. And when Dioclesian himself exhibited his Games accor∣ding to the Custom, he was much more spa∣ring in the Liberty which he took, and in the Expence which he was at; he said, those
Diversions ought to be Chast and Modest, considering the presence at least of the Censor.
Now I leave this last Passage to be read by Junius Messala, whom I dare be free to blame upon this occasion. Because he hath spent all his Estate upon Players, and denied it to his own Heirs. A Gown of his Mother's he gave away to one, a Coat of his Father's to ano∣ther; a Garment of his Wife's, of Purple, em∣broidered in Gold, on which her Name was wrought, he gave to a Piper, who triumphs in it, as in a Spoil of the Nobility of the Donor. What shall I say of the Linens from Egypt? The bright Tyrian and Sydonian Purples, em∣broidered with admirable Art and Pains? The fine Stuffs from Arras, the Russets of Canosa, and other Cloaths from Africa? Riches which were never seen upon the Stage before! I am willing to speak all this to the World, purposely, that the Gentlemen who give those Publick Sports for the future, may be a little ashamed to spend their Estates, in prejudice to their lawful Heirs, upon such a Company of Poltrons.
Thus, my honoured Friend, you have now the little Present, which I presume to offer to you, of this History. I have often said, that I pretend not to shew any thing of Eloquence in the writing, but only a Curio∣sity to preserve and to relate Matter of Fact. And therefore if any eloquent Hand shall here∣after please to go over, and better illustrate
the Lives of these Princes, and shall supply him∣self with Materials for the purpose, out of what I have said, I shall be very well satisfied. In the mean time, I desire you to be contented with my Services, and to believe that it was my Choice to write in this manner, without Disputing whether or no, I was able to have done it better.
A Christi Cclxxxiii.
His filthy Vices and Luxuries.
He is de∣feated and slain.
Strange Shows made to the People.