people had but one neck, that he might despatch them at one blow1. 5. Such insupportable and capricious cruelties produced many secret conspiracies against him; but they were for a while deferred upon account of his intended expedition U.C. against the Germans and Britons. 6. For this 793. purpose he caused numerous levies to be made, and A.D. talked with so much resolution, that it was univer41. sally believed he would conquer all before him 2. 7. His march perfectly indicated the inequality of his temper; sometimes it was so rapid, that the cohorts were obliged to leave their standards behind them; at other times it was so slow, that it more resembled a pompous procession than a military expedition. 8. In this disposition, he would cause himself to be carried on a litter on eight men's shoulders, and ordered all the neighbouring cities to have their streets well swept and watered, that he might not be annoyed with dust. 9. However, all these mighty preparations ended in nothing. Instead of conquering Britain, he merely gave refuge to one of its banished princes; and this he described, in his letter to the senate, as taking possession of the whole island. 10. Instead of conquering Germany, he only led his army to the sea-shore in Gaul: there, disposing his engines and warlike machines with great solemnity, and drawing up his men in order of battle, he went on board his galley, with which coasting along, he commanded his trumpets to sound, and the signal to be given as if for an engagement. 11. His men, who had previous orders, immediately fell to gathering the shells that lay upon the shore into their helmets, as their spoils of the conquered ocean, worthy of the palace and the capitol. 12. After this doughty expedition, calling his army together, like a general after victory, he harangued them in a pompous manner, and highly 1 He frequently used this expression-Oderint dum metuant—(Let them hate while they fear). 2 The following anecdote will sufficiently display how ill-founded these expectations were :-As he was passing in his chariot through a narrow lane, his troops were obliged to break their ranks, that he might proceed. One happening to observe on this, that should the enemy now appear, the confusion would be great, he was seized with such a panic, that, throwing himself out of his chariot, he fled on horseback, till coming to a bridge that was crowded with the servants and baggage of the army, he caused himself to be conveyed over their heads, not thinking himself safe till he got out of the enemy's country. extolled their achievements; then, distributing money among them, and congratulating them upon their riches, he dismissed them with orders to be joyful. And, that such exploits should not pass without a memorial, he ordered a lofty tower to be erected by the sea-side 1. 13. Cassius Cher'ea, a tribune of the Prætorian bands, was the person who at last freed the world from this tyrant. Besides the motives which he had in common with other men, he had received repeated insults from Caligʻula, who took all occasions of turning him into ridicule, and impeaching him of cowardice, merely because he happened to have an effeminate voice. Whenever Cherea came to demand the watchword from the emperor, according to custom, he always gave him either Venus, Adonis, or some such, implying softness and effeminacy. 14. Cher ea secretly imparted his design to several senators and knights whom he knew to have received personal injuries from Caligula. While these were deliberating upon the most certain and speedy method of destroying the tyrant, an unexpected incident gave new strength to the conspiracy. 15. Pempe'dius, a senator of distinction, being accused before the emperor of having spoken of him with disrespect, the informer cited one Quintil'ia, an actress, to confirm the accusation. 16. Quintilia, however, was possessed of a degree of fortitude not frequently found even in the other sex. She denied the fact with obstinacy; and being put to the torture, bore the severest tortures of the rack with unshaken constancy. 17. Indeed, so remarkable was her resolution, that though acquainted with all the particulars of the conspiracy, and although Cher'ea was the person appointed to preside at her torture, she revealed nothing; on the contrary, when she was led to the rack, she trod upon the toe of one of the conspirators, intimating at once her knowledge of their conspiracy, and her resolution not to divulge it. 18. Thus she suffered, until all her limbs were dislocated; and, in that deplorable state, was presented to the emperor, who ordered her a gratuity for what she had endured. 19. Cher'ea could no longer contain his indignation, at being thus made the instrument of a tyrant's cruelty. After several deliberations of the conspirators, it was at last re It is said that the tower which stands at the entry of the port of Bologne, called La tour d'ordre, is that built by Caligʻula on this occasion. solved to attack him during the Palatine games', which lasted four days; and to strike the blow when his guards should not have the opportunity to defend him. 20. The first three days of the games passed. Cher'ea began to apprehend, that deferring the completion of the conspiracy might be the means of divulging it: he even dreaded that the honour of killing the tyrant might fall to the lot of some other person, bolder than himself. At last he resolved to defer the execution of his plot only to the day following, when Calig'ula should pass through a private gallery, to some baths near the palace. 21. The last day of the games was more splendid than the rest; and Calig'ula seemed more sprightly and condescending than usual. He enjoyed the amusement of seeing the people scramble for the fruits and other rarities by his order thrown among them; being no way apprehensive of the plot formed for his destruction. 22. In the mean time the conspiracy began to transpire: and, had he had any friends remaining, it could not have failed of being discovered. A senator who was present, asking one of his acquaintance if he had heard any thing new, and the other replying in the negative, said, You must know, that this day will be represented the death of a tyrant." The other immediately understood him, but desired him to be cautious. 23. The conspirators waited many hours with extreme anxiety; and Calig'ula seemed resolved to spend the whole day without any refreshment. So unexpected a delay exasperated Cher'ea; and, had he not been restrained, he would suddenly have perpetrated his design in the midst of all the people. 24. At that instant, while he was hesitating, Aspore'nus, one of the conspirators, persuaded Caligʻula to go to the bath, and take some slight refreshment, that he might the better enjoy the rest of the entertainment. 25. The emperor rising up, the conspirators used every precaution to keep off the throng, and to surround him themselves, under pretence of great assiduity. Upon his entering into a little vaulted gallery that led to the bath, 1 Palatine games were so called from their being celebrated on the Palatine Hill, which was the most considerable of the seven hills on which Rome was built. This was the first hill occupied by Romulus, and where he fixed his residence, and kept his court; as also did Tul'lus Hostilius, Augus'tus, and all the succeeding emperors; and hence it is that the residence of princes is called Palatium, or Palace. 2 He by some called Am'pronus. Cher'ea struck him to the ground with his dagger, crying out, " Tyrant, think upon this." The other conspirators closed in upon him; and while the emperor was resisting, and crying out that he was not yet dead, they despatched him with thirty wounds. 26. Such was the merited death of Calig'ula in the twenty-ninth year of his age, after a short reign of not four years. His character may be summed up in the words of Sen'eca; namely, "Nature seemed to have brought him forth, to show what mischief could be effected by the greatest vices supported by the greatest authority." Questions for Examination. 1. Of what enormities was Caligula guilty? 2. How did he heighten his cruelties? 3. On what did he chiefly value himself? 4. What monstrous wish did he express? 5. What was the consequence of such atrocities? 6. What preparations did he make? 7. How did his disposition display itself on this occasion? 8. How did he sometimes travel? 9. What exploits did he perform? 10. Did he not make a show of some great enterprise? 11. How did it end? 12. Of what farther follies was he guilty? 13. By whom was he assassinated, and by what provocations was his fate hastened? 14. Were others made privy to the design? 15. Relate this incident. 16. Did Quintilia confirm the accusation? 17. What rendered this resolution more remarkable? 18. What was the result? 19. Was the crisis much longer deferred? 20. Was this resolution put in practice? 21. Was Caligula at all apprehensive of what was in agitation ? 22. Was the secret inviolably kept? 23. How was the design nearly frustrated? 24. What induced Caligula to alter his intention? 25. Relate the manner of his death. 26. Repeat the summary of his character as given by Seners. SECTION VI. U. c. 794.-A. D. 42. Romans, methinks the malice of your tyrants 2. Imbecil'ity, s. weakness of mind. 11. Commem'orate, v. to keep in re- MASON'S CAractacus. 16. Progen'itors, s. forefathers, ances tors in a direct line. 18. Dejec'tion, s. sadness. 21. Para'mour, s. a lover, a favourite. 1. As soon as the death of Calig'ula was made public, it produced the greatest confusion. The conspirators, who only aimed at destroying a tyrant, without attending to the appointment of a successor, had all sought safety by retiring to private places. 2. Some soldiers happening to wander about the palace, discovered Clau'dius, Calig'ula's uncle, lurking in a secret place where he had hid himself. Of this person, who had hitherto been despised for his imbecility, they resolved to make an emperor; and accordingly they carried him upon their shoulders to the camp, where they proclaimed him at a time when he expected nothing but death. 3. Clau'dius was now fifty years old. The complicated diseases of his infancy had, in some measure, affected all the faculties of his mind as well as body, and he seemed, both in public and domestic life, incapable of conducting himself with propriety 1. 4. The commencement of his reign, however, as had been the case with all the bad emperors, gave the most promising hopes. It began by an act of oblivion for all former words and actions, and by disannulling all the cruel edicts of Calig'ula. 5. He showed himself more moderate than his predecessors with regard to titles and honours. 1 His mother, Anto'nia, used to call him a human monster; and his nephew, Calig'ula, when he had butchered many of his kindred, saved him merely for a laughing-stock. The kindest word Augus'tus gave him was that of Misel'lus (poor wretch). This example was followed by others. If he happened to come to table when the guests had taken their places, no one showed him the least civility; and when he slept, as he sometimes did after meals, they would divert themselves by throwing the stones of fruit at him, or by wakening him with a blow of a rod or whip. |