Oliver Goldsmith - Pinnock\'s Improved Edition of Dr. Goldsmith\'s History of Rome

O >> Oliver Goldsmith >> Pinnock\'s Improved Edition of Dr. Goldsmith\'s History of Rome

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27. Having given peace and prosperity to the empire, he was loved,
honoured, and almost adored. He adorned the city with public
buildings; he freed it from such men as lived by their vices; he
entertained persons of merit with familiarity; and so little did he
fear his enemies, that he could scarcely be induced to suppose he had
any.

_Questions for Examination_.

1. How was the account of Domitian's death received?

2. Was he regretted by any description of his subjects?

3. What consequences ensued from this regret?

4. Who was Cocceius Nerva?

5. Was his government acceptable to the people?

6. What afforded a presage of his future mild administration?

7. Did he keep this oath inviolate?

8. Was Nerva avaricious?

9. Was his reign free from disturbances?

10. Were all conspiracies repressed from this time?

11. Did Nerva exert himself to quell it?

12. Were his endeavours successful?

13. What important consequences ensued from these commotions?

14. What occasioned his death?

15. What was his character?

16. How did Trajan act on his accession, and what advice did he
receive?

17. What sentiments did his subjects entertain of their new emperor?

18. With whom did he commence hostilities?

19. What was the event of the campaign?

20. What was the consequence of this victory?

21. Did peace continue long?

22. What great undertaking did he accomplish in this expedition?

23. Was it a difficult work?

24. What followed the building of the bridge?

25. What was the event of this second campaign?

26. What advantages arose from this conquest?

27. Did Trajan suffer prosperity to make him neglectful of his duties?

SECTION II.

With fatal heat impetuous courage glows.--_Johnson_.

[Sidenote: U.C. 860. A.D. 107.]

1. It had been happy for Trajan's memory, had he shown equal clemency
to all his subjects; but about the ninth year of his reign, he was
persuaded to look upon the Christians with a suspicious eye, and great
numbers of them were put to death by popular tumults and judicial
proceedings. 2. However, the persecution ceased after some time; for
the emperor, finding that the Christians were an innocent and
inoffensive people, suspended their punishments.

3. During this emperor's reign there was a dreadful insurrection of
the Jews in all parts of the empire. This wretched people, still
infatuated, and ever expecting some signal deliverance, took the
advantage of Tra'jan's expedition to the east, to massacre all the
Greeks and Romans whom they could get into their power. 4. This
rebellion first began in Cyre'ne, a Roman province in Africa; from
thence the flame extended to Egypt, and next to the island of Cyprus.
Dreadful were the devastations committed by these infatuated people,
and shocking the barbarities exercised on the unoffending inhabitants.
5. Some were sawn asunder, others cast to wild beasts, or made to kill
each other, while the most unheard-of torments were invented and
exercised on the unhappy victims of their fury. Nay, to such a pitch
was their animosity carried, that they actually ate the flesh of their
enemies, and even wore their skins. 6. However, these cruelties were
of no long duration: the governors of the respective provinces making
head against their tumultuous fury, caused them to experience the
horrors of retaliation, and put them to death, not as human beings,
but as outrageous pests of society. In Cy'prus it was made capital for
any Jew to set foot on the island.

7. During these bloody transactions, Tra'jan was prosecuting his
successes in the east, where he carried the Roman arms farther than
they had ever before penetrated; but resolving to visit Rome once
more, he found himself too weak to proceed in his usual manner. He
therefore determined to return by sea; but on reaching the city of
Seleu'cia, he died of an apoplexy, in the sixty-third year of his age,
after a reign of nineteen years, six months, and fifteen days.

[Sidenote: A.D. 117.]

8. A'drian, the nephew of Trajan, was chosen to succeed him. He began
his reign by pursuing a course opposite to that of his predecessor,
taking every method of declining war, and promoting the arts of peace.
His first care was to make peace with the Par'thians, and to restore
Chos'roes, for he was satisfied with preserving the ancient limits of
the empire, and seemed no way ambitious of extensive conquest.

9. A'drian was one of the most remarkable of the Roman emperors for
the variety of his endowments. He was highly skilled in all the
accomplishments both of body and mind. He composed with great beauty,
both in prose and verse, he pleaded at the bar, and was one of the
best orators of his time. 10. Nor were his virtues fewer than his
accomplishments. His moderation and clemency appeared by pardoning the
injuries which he had received when he was yet but a private man. One
day meeting a person who had formerly been his most inveterate
enemy--"My good friend," said he, "you have escaped; for I am made
emperor." He was affable to his friends, and gentle to persons of
meaner stations; he relieved their wants, and visited them in
sickness; it being his constant maxim, that he had been elected
emperor, not for his own good, but for the benefit of mankind at
large.

11. These virtues were, however, contrasted by vices of considerable
magnitude; or rather, he wanted strength of mind to preserve his
rectitude of character without deviation.

12. He was scarcely settled on the throne, when several of the
northern barbarians began to devastate the frontier provinces of the
empire. These hardy nations, who now found the way to conquer by
issuing from their forests, and then retiring on the approach of
a superior force, began to be truly formidable to Rome. 13. A'drian
had thoughts of contracting the limits of the empire, by giving up
some of the most remote and least defensible provinces; in this,
however, he was overruled by friends, who wrongly imagined that an
extensive frontier would intimidate an invading enemy. 14. But though
he complied with their remonstrances, he broke down the bridge over
the Dan'ube, which his predecessor had built, sensible that the same
passage which was open to him, was equally convenient to the
incursions of his barbarous neighbours.

15. Having staid a long time at Rome, to see that all things were
regulated and established for the safety of the public, he prepared to
make a progress through his whole empire. 16. It was one of his
maxims, that an emperor ought to imitate the sun, which diffuses
warmth and vigour over all parts of the earth. He, therefore, took
with him a splendid court, and a considerable force, and entered the
province of Gaul, where he caused the inhabitants to be numbered. 17.
From Gaul he went into Germany, thence to Holland, and afterwards
passed over into Britain; where, reforming many abuses, and
reconciling the natives to the Romans, he, for the better security of
the southern parts of the kingdom, built a wall of wood and earth,
extending from the river E'den, in Cumberland, to the Tyne, in
Northumberland, to prevent the incursions of the Picts, and other
barbarous nations of the north. 18. From Britain, returning through
Gaul, he directed his journey to Spain, his native country, where he
was received with great joy. 19. Returning to Rome, he continued there
for some time, in order to prepare for his journey into the east,
which was hastened by a new invasion of the Par'thians. His approach
compelling the enemy to peace, he pursued his travels without
molestation. He visited the famous city of Athens; there making a
considerable stay, he was initiated into the Eleusin'ian mysteries,
which were accounted the most sacred in the Pagan mythology, and took
upon him the office of archon or chief magistrate. 20. In this place,
also, he remitted the severity of the Christian persecution. He was
even so far reconciled to their sect, as to think of introducing
Christ among the number of the gods. 21. From thence he crossed over
into Africa, and spent much time in reforming abuses, regulating the
government, deciding controversies, and erecting magnificent
buildings. Among the rest, he ordered Carthage[4] to be rebuilt,
calling it after his own name, Adrian'ople.[5] 22. Again he returned
to Rome; travelled a second time into Greece; passed over into Asia
Minor; from thence into Syr'ia; gave laws and instructions to all the
neighbouring kings; entered Pal'estine, Arabia, and Egypt, where he
caused Pompey's tomb, that had been long neglected, and almost covered
with sand, to be repaired and beautified. 23. He gave orders for the
rebuilding of Jerusalem; which was performed with great expedition by
the assistance of the Jews, who now began to conceive hopes of being
restored to their long lost kingdom. 24. But these expectations only
served to aggravate their calamities: for, being incensed at the
privileges which were granted the Pagan worshippers in their new city,
they fell upon the Romans and Christians that were dispersed
throughout Jude'a, and unmercifully put them all to the sword. 25.
A'drian, sending a powerful body of men against them, obtained many
signal, though bloody victories, over the insurgents. The war was
concluded in two years, by the demolition of above one thousand of
their best towns, and the destruction of nearly six hundred thousand
men in battle.

26. Having thus effectually quelled this dangerous insurrection, he
banished all those who remained in Judea; and by a public decree
forbade them to come within view of their native soil. But he was soon
after alarmed by a dangerous irruption of the barbarous nations to the
northward of the empire; who, entering Me'dia with great fury and
passing through Arme'nia, carried their devastations as far as
Cappado'cia. Preferring peace, however, upon any terms, to an
unprofitable war, A'drian bought them off by large sums of money; so
that they returned peaceably into their native wilds, to enjoy their
plunder, and to meditate fresh invasions.

_Questions for Examination_.

1. Was Trajan uniformly merciful?

2. Was the persecution of long duration?

3. What remarkable event happened in this reign?

4. Where did the rebellion principally rage?

5. What were these barbarities?

6. Were no steps taken to repress this insurrection?

7. How was Trajan employed at this time, and what was his end?

8. Who succeeded him?

9. What was the character of Adrian?

10. Was he a virtuous character?

11. Were not his virtues counterbalanced?

12. By whom was the empire now invaded?

13. What wise measure did Adrian contemplate?

14. What remarkable edifice did he destroy?

15. Was he attentive to the concerns of the empire?

16. Why did he do this?

17. What places did he next visit?

18. Whither did he next proceed?

19. Mention his further progress, and the incidents that occurred.

20. Was he merciful to the Christians?

21. Whither did he next repair, and how did he employ himself?

22. Proceed in the description of his route.

23. Did he not favour the Jews?

24. Did they profit by this favourable disposition in the emperor?

25. Was this cruelty punished?

26. What followed this dangerous insurrection?

SECTION III.

Trajan and he,[6] with the mild sire and son
His son of virtue; eased awhile mankind;
And arts revived beneath their gentle beam.--_Thomson_.

1. Having spent thirteen years in travelling and reforming the abuses
of the empire, A'drian at last resolved to end his fatigues at Rome.
2. Nothing could be more grateful to the people than his resolution of
coming to reside for the rest of his days among them; they received
him with the loudest demonstrations of joy; and though he now began to
grow old and unwieldy, he remitted not the least of his former
assiduity and attention to the public welfare. 3. His chief amusement
was in conversing with the most celebrated men in every art and
science, frequently asserting, that he thought no kind of knowledge
inconsiderable, or to be neglected, either in his private or public
capacity. 4. He ordered the knights and senators never to appear in
public, but in the proper habits of their orders. He forbade
masters to kill their slaves, as had been before allowed; but
ordained that they should be tried by the laws. 5. He still further
extended the lenity of the laws to those unhappy men, who had long
been thought too mean for justice: if a master was found killed in his
house, he would not allow all his slaves to be put to the torture as
formerly, but only such as might have perceived and prevented the
murder.

6. In such employments he spent the greatest part of his time; but at
last finding the duties of his station daily increasing, and his own
strength proportionally upon the decline, he resolved on adopting a
successor, and accordingly chose Antoni'nus to that important station.

7. While he was thus careful in providing for the future welfare of
the state, his bodily infirmities became so insupportable, that he
vehemently desired some of his attendants to dispatch him. 8.
Antoni'nus, however, would by no means permit any of the domestics to
be guilty of so great an impiety, but used all the arts in his power
to reconcile the emperor to sustain life. 9. His pain daily
increasing, he was frequently heard to cry out, "How miserable a thing
it is to seek death, and not to find it!" After enduring some time
these excruciating tortures, he at last resolved to observe no
regimen, saying, that kings sometimes died merely by the multitude of
their physicians. 10. This conduct served to hasten that death he
seemed so ardently to desire; and it was probably joy upon its
approach which dictated the celebrated stanzas that are so well
known;[7] and while repeating which he expired, in the sixty-second
year of his age, after a prosperous reign of twenty-one years and
eleven months.

11. Titus Antoni'nus, his successor, was born at Lavin'ium, near Rome,
but his ancestors came originally from Nismes, in Gaul. His father was
a nobleman, who had enjoyed the highest honours of the empire.

[Sidenote: U.C. 891]

At the time of his succeeding to the throne he was above fifty years
old, and had passed through many of the most important offices of the
state with great integrity and application. 12. His virtues in private
life were no way impaired by his exaltation, as he showed himself one
of the most excellent princes for justice, clemency, and moderation;
his morals were so pure, that he was usually compared to Numa, and was
surnamed the Pious, both for his tenderness to his predecessor
A'drian, when dying, and his particular attachment to the religion of
his country.

13. He was an eminent rewarder of learned men, to whom he gave large
pensions and great honours, collecting them around him from all parts
of the world. 14. Among the rest, he sent for Apollo'nius, the famous
stoic philosopher, to instruct his adopted son, Mar'cus Aure'lius.
Apollo'nius being arrived, the emperor desired his attendance; but the
other arrogantly answered, that it was the scholar's duty to wait upon
the master, not the master upon the scholar. 15. To this reply,
Antoni'nus only returned with a smile, "That it was surprising how
Apollo'nius, who made no difficulty of coming from Greece to Rome,
should think it hard to walk from one part of Rome to another;" and
immediately sent Mar'cus Aure'lius to him.[8] 16. While the good
emperor was thus employed in making mankind happy, in directing their
conduct by his own example, or reproving their follies by the keenness
of rebuke, he was seized with a violent fever, and ordered his friends
and principal officers to attend him. 17. In their presence he
confirmed the adoption of Mar'cus Aure'lius; then commanding the
golden statue of Fortune, which was always in the chamber of the
emperors, to be removed to that of his successor, he expired in the
seventy-fourth year of his age, after a prosperous reign of
twenty-two years and almost eight months.[9]

[Sidenote: U.C. 914.]

18. Mar'cus Aure'lius, though left sole successor to the throne, took
Lu'cius Ve'rus as his associate and equal, in governing the state. 19.
Aure'lius was the son of An'nius Ve'rus, of an ancient and illustrious
family, which claimed its origin from Nu'ma. Lu'cius Ve'rus was the
son of Com'modus, who had been adopted by A'drian, but died before he
succeeded to the throne. 20. Aure'lius was as remarkable for his
virtues and accomplishments, as his partner in the empire was for his
ungovernable passions and debauched morals. The one was an example of
the greatest goodness and wisdom; the other of ignorance, sloth, and
extravagance.

21. The two emperors were scarcely settled on the throne, when the
empire was attacked on every side, from the barbarous nations by which
it was surrounded. The Cat'ti invaded Germany and Rhoe'tia, ravaging
all with fire and sword; but were repelled by Victori'nus. The Britons
likewise revolted, but were repressed by Capur'nius. 22. But the
Parthians, under their king Volog'esus, made an irruption still more
dreadful than either of the former; destroying the Roman legions in
Arme'nia; then entering Syria, they drove out the Roman governor, and
filled the whole country with terror and confusion. To repel this
barbarous eruption, Ve'rus went in person, being accompanied by
Aure'lius part of the way.

23. Ve'rus, however, proceeded no farther than An'tioch, and there
gave an indulgence to every appetite, rioting in excesses unknown even
to the voluptuous Greeks; leaving all the glory of the field to his
lieutenants, who were sent to repress the enemy. 24. These, however,
fought with great success; for in the four years that the war lasted,
the Romans entered far into the Parthian country, and entirely subdued
it; but upon their return their army was wasted to less than half its
original number by pestilence and famine. 25. This, however, was no
impediment to the vanity of Ve'rus, who resolved to enjoy the honours
of a triumph, so hardly earned by others. Having appointed a king over
the Arme'nians, and finding the Parthians entirely subdued, he assumed
the titles of Arme'nius and Parthi'cus; and on his return to Rome, he
partook of a triumph with Aure'lius, which was solemnized with great
pomp and splendour.

26. While Ve'rus was engaged in this expedition, Aure'lius was
sedulously intent upon distributing justice and happiness to his
subjects at home. He first applied himself to the regulation of
public affairs, and to the correcting of such faults as he found in
the laws and policy of the state. 27. In this endeavour he showed a
singular respect for the senate, often permitting them to determine
without appeal; so that the commonwealth seemed in a manner once more
revived under his equitable administration. 28. Besides, such was his
application to business, that he often employed ten days together on
the same subject, maturely considering it on all sides, and seldom
departing from the senate-house till the assembly was dismissed by the
consul. 29. But he was daily mortified with accounts of the enormities
of his colleague; being repeatedly assured of his vanity and
extravagance. 30. However, feigning himself ignorant of these
excesses, he judged marriage to be the best method of reclaiming him;
and, therefore, sent him his daughter Lucil'la, a woman of great
beauty, whom Ve'rus married at Antioch. 31. But even this was found
ineffectual, for Lucil'la proved of a disposition very unlike her
father; and, instead of correcting her husband's extravagances only
contributed to inflame them. 32. Aure'lius still hoped that, upon the
return of Ve'rus to Rome, his presence would keep him in awe, and that
happiness would at length be restored to the state. In this he was
also disappointed. His return seemed fatal to the empire; for his army
carried back the plague from Par'thia, and disseminated the infection
into the provinces through which it passed.

33. Nothing could exceed the miserable state of things upon the return
of Ve'rus. In this horrid picture were represented an emperor, unawed
by example or the calamities surrounding him, giving way to unheard-of
crimes; a raging pestilence spreading terror and desolation through
all parts of the western world; earthquakes, famines, inundations,
almost unexampled in history; the products of the earth through all
Italy devoured by locusts; the barbarous nations around the empire
taking advantage of its various calamities, and making their
irruptions even into Italy itself. 34. The priests doing all they
could to put a stop to the miseries of the state, by attempting to
appease the gods, vowing and offering numberless sacrifices;
celebrating all the sacred rites that had ever been known in Rome. 35.
To crown the whole, these enthusiasts, as if the impending calamities
had not been sufficient, ascribed the distresses of the state to the
impieties of the Christians. A violent persecution ensued in all
parts of the empire; and Justin Martyr, Polycarp'us, and a prodigious
number of less note, suffered martyrdom.

_Questions for Examination_.

1. Did Adrian enjoy repose from this time?

2. Was this resolution agreeable to the people?

3. How did he amuse himself?

4. What new edicts did he issue?

5. Did he not ameliorate the condition of slaves?

6. Was he still equal to the fatigues of the empire?

7. Were not his sufferings great?

8. Were his wishes complied with?

9. Were these arts successful?

10. What was the consequence of this conduct?

11. Who was his successor?

12. Did he preserve his virtue on his exaltation?

13. Was he a favourer of learning?

14. What anecdote is related of one of these?

15. What was the emperor's reply?

16. Did he experience a long and prosperous reign?

17. Whom did he appoint as his successor?

18. Was Marcus Aurelius sole emperor?

19. Who were Aurelius and Lucius Verus?

20. Were their characters similar?

21. Was their reign peaceable?

22. Was there not a more formidable invasion still?

23. Did Verus show himself worthy of the trust?

24. Were they successful?

25. Did Verus appear to feel this misfortune?

26. How was Aurelius employed in the mean time?

27. Did he do this solely by his own authority?

28. Was he hasty in his decisions?

29. Was he acquainted with the follies of his colleague?

30. How did he attempt his reformation?

31. Was this effectual?

32. What farther hopes did Aurelius entertain?

33. What was the state of the empire at this period?

34. What were the means made use of to avert these calamities?

35. To whom were they imputed?

SECTION IV.

And wise Aurelius, in whose well-taught mind,
With boundless power unbounded virtue join'd.
His own strict judge, and patron of mankind.--_Pope._

1. In this scene of universal tumult, desolation and distress, there
was nothing left but the virtues and the wisdom of one man to restore
tranquillity and happiness to the empire. 2. Aure'lius began his
endeavours by marching against the Marcoman'ni and Qua'di, taking
Ve'rus with him, who reluctantly left the sensual delights of Rome for
the fatigues of a camp. 3. They came up with the Marcoman'ni near the
city of Aquile'ia, and after a furious engagement, routed their whole
army; then pursuing them across the Alps, overcame them in several
contests; and, at last, entirely defeating them, returned into Italy
without any considerable loss.

[Sidenote: U.C. 022 A.D. 169.]

4. As the winter was far advanced, Ve'rus was determined on going to
Rome, in which journey he was seized with an apoplexy that put an end
to his life, at the age of thirty-nine, having reigned in conjunction
with Aure'lius nine years.

5. Aure'lius, who had hitherto sustained the fatigues of governing,
not only an empire, but his colleague, began to act with greater
diligence, and more vigour than ever. After thus subduing the
Marcoman'ni, he returned to Rome, where he resumed his attempts to
benefit mankind by a farther reformation.

6. But his good endeavours were soon interrupted by a renewal of the
former wars. In one of the engagements that ensued, he is said to have
been miraculously relieved when his army was perishing with thirst, by
the prayers of a Christian legion[10] which had been levied in his
service; for we are told, that there fell such a shower of rain, as
instantly refreshed the fainting army. The soldiers were seen holding
their mouths and their helmets towards heaven, to catch the water
which came so wonderfully to their relief. 7. The same clouds which
served for their rescue, discharged so terrible a storm of hail,
accompanied with thunder, against the enemy, as astonished and
confused them. By this unlooked-for aid, the Romans, recovering
strength and courage, renewed the engagement with fresh vigour, and
cut the enemy to pieces. 8. Such are the circumstances of an event,
acknowledged by Pagan as well as Christian writers; only with this
difference, that the latter ascribe the miracle to their own, the
former to the prayers of their emperor. However this be, Aure'lius
seemed so sensible of miraculous assistance, that he immediately
relaxed the persecution against the Christians, and wrote to the
senate in their favour.

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