The lives of the first twelve Cæsars

발행: 1796년

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CAESAR AUGUSTUS.

which were neares h it; ordering that notae cloathed in

black should 11t in the mi lille part of the Cavea Normo alit he allow the women to look at the combats of the gladiators, excepi frona the upper part of the theatre,

though they formerly used to take their places promiscuousty mith the rect of the company On that occasion.

To the Vesial Virgins he granted a place in the theatre bythemselves, opposite to the Praetor's benCh. He excludes, however, the whole female sex from seeing the wrestieraperform their paris: so that in the games which he exhibited upon his accession to the office of Higli-priest, laedes ei red producing a pair os combatanis Whicli the peo plecalled for, tantii thc nexi moria ing; and intimated by pro- Clamation, It was his pleas ure that no woman sit ould appear in the theatre besore sive o'cloch. XLV. He generalty vlewed the Circensian games homthe apariments of his friends or freedmen, so metimes frona the place appo in ted for the statues of the Gods, and stling in company with his wi se and children. He would, Upon OCCasons, absent himself froin thos e spectacles forseverat ho tars, and so metimes whole days; but not without fir9 maLing an apology, and recommending sonae to preside at them in his room. When he was present, howeVer, he ne ver attended to any other object; et ther to avoid thereflection which he used to say was comm Only made UpOn his fallier Caesar, for perusing letters and memo irs, andans vering them in writing, Whilst he was present at thepublic diversions ; or from a real pleas ure he took in the

The Catea was the nam e of the whole of that part of the theatre where the spectators sat . The foremost rowswere called cabeia p, ima, or ima; the last, casea ultima Oriumma ; and the middie, cazea Meia .

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sight of those exhibitions, which he was se far from coni. cealing, that he osten ingenuousy owned it. On this account, he used frequently to mahe considerable presenis to the best performers, in the diversions exhibited by

ing to their merit. He took particular pluasure in see ingthe contests of the boXers, especialty those of the country, not only suci, as had been trained up to it by rules of ari, whom he used osten to match with the Greeli champions ;but even the people of the city, who would figlit in thesi reeis without any knowledge of the art. In fact, hehonored with his protection ali such as performed any part in tho se public entertainments of the people. Henot only maintained, but enlarged, the privileges of the wrestiers. He would not permit the gladiators to figlit, Without the allowance of lis e to the party that Wasmorsted. He deprived the magistrates of the po ver of correcting the stage-players, which by an ancient lawwas allowed them at ali times, and in ali places ; restrict-ing their authority entii ely to the time os performanCe, and to the stage He would however admit of no abalementin the service of the wre silers, or gladiators, but eXadted frona both the most seriet attention to discipline. He went se far in restraining the licentiousnest os stage-players, that upon discovering that Stephanio, an actor os . Latinplays, hept a married woman with her hair cui mori, and drefled in boy's cloaths, to wait upon him at table, he Or-dered him to be whipped through ali the three theatres, and bani med hi m. Hylas, an actor os pantomimes, upona complaint against hi in by the Praetor, he commande lio be scourged with a whip, in the court of his ownhouse, and admitted ali who were destrous os seeing the

punishment initie ted. And Pylades he not only bani med

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CAESAR AUGUSTUS. 139

finger at, and turning the eyes of the company Upon, aspectator by whom he was liissed. XLVI. Having thus regulatcd the affairs of the city, he replenis hed Italy by planting in it twenty-eight colonies, and greatly improved it' by public works, and a beneficiat distribution os taxes. In res pedi of privileges and digni ty, he rendered it in sonae meastare equat to the

ille members of the go verning councit should gave athome, in the election of the magistrates in Rome, an senil under seat to the city, abo ut the time of the elect ion. To en creasse the number of persons os condition, and cnCo Urage propagation amongli the inserior people, hegranted the petitions os ali thuse who requested the honoros serving in the wars ora horsebach, provided they were seconded by the reconimendation of the town in whichthey lived ; and to such of the commonalty as, Upon his bie ing the severat quarters of Italy, presented hirn withsons Or daughters lawsully begotien, he distributed athous and sesterces a head. XLVIL The more powerfui provinces, and lach ascoul j not with case or las ely be entrusted to the govern-ment of annuat magistrates, he reserved to his own administratiori the rest he distributed by tot amongst the

Proconsuis; but somelimes he made an eXChange, and

frequently visited most os both hiniis in persoli. Somecities that were in alli ance with Rome, hut bu their great licentio us est hasten ing to destruction, he deprived of their liberty. Others, v alch were much in debi, he relicued, and rebulli such as h ad been destroyed bu earth quakCS. To th*se that could produce any instance of their hau ingdeserve l

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deserved weli of the Roman people, he presented thefreedom of Latium, or even that of the city. There is not, I belleve, a province, excepi Africa and Sardinia, whieli he did not visit. Aster he had driven Sextus Pompeius into thos e provinces, he was indeed preparing topasi over stom Sicily, but was prevented by violent storins, whicli continued without intermiss1on, untii the occasionsor lacti a voyage no longer remaine l.

XLVIII. Κingdoms, of which he had made himselfmaster by the right os conquest, eXcepting a se , he

either restored to their former possessors, or Conferre lupon strangers. Κings, his allies, he cemented together in bonds of the most intimate union ; being alwavs readvio promote or favor any propolat of marriage or friend- stip amongst them; and indeed trealed them ait with the fame consideration, as is they were members and paris of the empire. To lach amongst them as were minors ortunatics he appotnted guardians, untii thev arrived at age, or recovered their senses ; and the fons of many he maintained and educated with his own. XLIX. With respect to the military forces, he dis. posed of the legions and auxiliary troops throughout the severat provinces. He stationed a feet at Misene, and another at Ravenna, for the securi ty of the upper anillower sea. A certain number of the forces he selected, partly for the guard of the city, and partly of his omni erson: and dismissed the body of the Calaguritanians, which he retained about him untii the overthrow of Antony. He did the fame by the Germans, v hom he hadamongst his guai df, untii the dis aster of Varus. Yet henever permitted a greater force than three battalions in the city, and that without any camp. The rest he used

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CAESAR AUGUSTUS.

winter and summer quarters. All the troops throughout the empire he reduced to one fixed model, with regard totheir pay, and the rewards to be conferred upora them atthe egpiration of their service ; determining, according toe very one's station in the troops, both the time he was toserve, and the advantages he was to e oy upon an ho- norabie dismission; that they might not be tempted by their age and necessities to eXcite any public Commotion. For the pua pose of estabiistiing a perpetuat and ready fund towards the accomplissiment of these objects, he instituted a military excitequer, mitti new taXes for the supply of it. To have the speedier intelligence of what passed in the provinces, he at first posted young men atmoderate distances, along the military roads, and astem Wards vehicles, whicli appeared to him the more commodious, because the persons who brought him the letters, might be questioned about the businest, is there Was any

occasion.

L. In the sea ling of patenis, instructions, or letters, heat first used the figure of a Sphinx, afterwards the head of Alexander the Great, and at last his own, engraven by the hand of Dioscorides, whicli the succeeding princes lihewi se continued to mahe use of He was extremelyprecise in the dating of his letters, pulting down exactly the time of the da y or night, at whicli they were dispalched.

LI. Os his clemency and moderation there are abundant and signat instances. For not to enumerate ho

many and what persons of the opposite par ty he pardoned, and sumered to rise to the highesi eminence in the city ;he thought it lassicient to punissi Iunius Novatus, and Casiius

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TAE LITE OFCassius Patavinus, both commoners : one os them miti, asine, and the other With an east banishment; though thesormer had publinaed, in the nanae of young Agrippa, a very scurrilous letter agains: him, and the other declared operaly,

at an entertaininent where there was a great deal of com- pany, that he net ther wanted inClination nor Courage tos ab him. '' In the triat os AEmilius AElianus of Corduba, When, amongst other charges exhibited against him, it mas particularly insisted upon, that he used to reflect upon Caesar, the Ialter turning about to. the accuser, Did to hi inmitti an air and tone os passion, H Ι wdla you could mahethat appear, I siali let AElianus know that Ι have atOngue Mo, and return him more abusive language than he ever used against me. '' Nor did he either then oras ter artis mahe any farther enquiry in to the affair. Andwhen Tiberius, in a letter, compla ined of the offence with great earnes ness, he returned hi in an an er in the fol-lowing terais : Do not, my dear Tiberius, give Way in the ardor of youth in this assa ir; nor be so much enragei that any person mould spe ala ill of me. It is susscient that we have it in Our po er to prevent any one si omdoing us a mi lites. LIL Though he Ine N it had been custo mary to decree temples for the Proconsuls, yet he would non in the provinces, permit any to be erected, unlesse to' the honor of himself and the city Rome in Conjunction. But within the limits of the city, he positively re fused any honor of that Lind. He metted down ali thesiluer statues that had been erected to him, and converted the whole into tripods, which he consecrateil to Apollo Palatinus. And when the populace importune thim to accepi of the Dictatorshii , he bent himselfdQWu Upon one Enee, with his toga thrown over bis

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LIII. He always abhorree the titie of Lord, as a scandalous a front. And when, in a mimic piece, performedon the theatre, at which he was present, these worils were

expressed, O just and gractous lord,'' and the whole 'company, with jo fui acclamations, testified their approbation of them, as being applied to him; he both immediately put a sto p to their indecent Battery, by the wavingof his harid, and the severity of his looks, and nexi daypublicly declared his displeas ure, by a proclamation. Henever aster arils would suffer himself to be addi essed in that manner, even by his own children or grandchildren, either in jest: or earnest, and Drbid them the use of ali such com plimentary eκpressions to one another. He scat Cely everentered any city or great town, or departed from it, butin the evening or the night, to a void giving any personthe trouble os attending him. During his Consulsia ips, he commonly waIked the strecta on ot; but at othertimes Was carried in a covered chair. He admitted theeommonalty, promiscuous y with peopte os superior rank, to pay their res pedis to him ; receiving the petitions offuch as Came to wait upon him with so much affability, that he orace iocosely rebuked a man, by teliing him, You present your memoir with as much hessitation as is you Were offering money to an elephant. V Upon thedays that the Senate assembled, he used to pay his respe 'sonly in the liouse, and as they sat, ad tresing them singlyby name, Without any prompter; and at his leaving thelio use, he in the fame manner bid ea ch of them fareweli. He maintained With many a constant interco urse of civilities, giving them his company upon any particular CC casion of joy in their families: untii he became adu anced

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in years, and was incommoded by the crowd at a med ling. Reing informed that Gallus Terrinius, a Senator, V ithwhom he had only a sight acquaintance, was Dddenlytaken blinit, and for that rea n had resolved to si arvehimself to death, he paid him a visit, and by the Consola- toly admonitions he suggested, diverted him from his

io matters of governinent.' ' Antistius Labeo, in theelection os a new Senate, when every one, aS he WasHamed, cliose another, nominated M. Lepidus, who h ad

formerly been Augustus's enemy, and was then in banishment; and being asked by the lalter, Is there no other person more deseruing λ' ' he replied, Every man has his fanCy. '' Nor was any person ever molested for opposingetther his sentimenis, or inclination. LV. When so me infamous libels against hi in werescattered in the Senate, he was neither disturbed at theincident, nor gave himself much troubie to refute them. He would not se much as order an enquiry to be madeaster the authors: Only gave ii as his opinion to thehouse, that, for the future, those s hould be called to an account, wlici publis hed libels or lampoons, in a borrowedname, against any person.

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CAESAR AUGUSTU s.

were designed to render hi in odiolis, he answered them by a proclamation : and yet he prevented the Senate Dompassing an adi, to resti ain ille licentious freedom that wastahen in milis. Whenever he attended at the election os magistrates, lae went round the tribes, with the candidates of his nomination, and requested the voles of the peopte in the usual manner. He likewise gave his vote in histribe, as One of the people. He sustered himself to besummoned as a Minesse uson triais, and not only to bequestioned, but to have the accura cy of his evidence eXam ined. In bullding his Forum, he made it lesse than he'mis laed, not presum ing to force the owners of the neigh bouring hous es to a surrender of their property. He ne ver recommended his sons to the people, without ad lingthese words, Is they deserve it.' ' And upon the CompanJ 's rising up to them at the theatre, while yet underage, and clapping them sanding, he made a most heavyComplaint. He was destrous that his frientis stlould be

laws with any other person. When Asprenas Nonius, an intimate friend of his, was tried upon a charge of administering poison at me instance of Cassius Severus, heconstilled the Senate for their opinion what was his disty

s creen him in dena iace of the laws; and is I do not, todefert hina, and prejudge hi in by an Unfavorabie opinion. VBy the unanimous consent of the house, he sat amongsfhis advocates for sevcrat hours, but without saying som Uch as One Nord in his commendation, according to Clis fom, UpOn tho se occasions. He likeruisse appeared fortiis clients ; as for Scutarius an old soldier of his, in anaction os sander. He never delivered any srom proseculion but one, by whom he had been informed of the con-

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iapon the accuser, in open couri, to drop his prosecution. LVIL How much he was beloved for his meritorious bellaviour in ali these respecis, it is easy to imagine. Isay nothing of the decrees of the Senate in his favor, which may seem to have been the effecis of necessity or modesty. The Roman knighis voluntarily, and with oneaCCOrd, at ways celebrated the anniversary of his birili fortwo days together; and ali ranks of the people, every year, in Consequence of a vow whicli they had made forthat pui pose, threw a piece of money into the Curtiantake, as a sacrifice for his health. They lihewise, uponthe fit si of January, presented sor his aCceptance neWyear's gi sis in the Capitol, though he was not present: withwhicli donations he pulchased some costly images of the Gods, which he erect ed in severat streets of the city ; asthat of Apollo Sandaliarius, Jupiter Tragoedus, an lothers. When his hou se in the Palatium vias accidentallydestroyed by fire, the veteran soldiers, the judges, and allthe people, jointly and separalely contributed, each manaccording to his abi lily, for rebuit ling it; though hewould accepi only of sonae sinali portion o ut of the severat stims collected, and would take no more frona any single heap, than one denarius Upon his return homestona any of the provinces, they attended him not onlymith joysul acclamations, but songs; and when he en tered the city, they constantly suspended during that da y the punissament of malefactors. LVIII. The whole hody of the people, iapon a sud lenmotion, and with unanimous consent, offered hi in the A coin, in value about eight pence hal Dpenny farthing

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