Juvenal

“ To pursue the story; the Tarquins finding their plot had miscarried, and fearing nothing could be done by treachery, struck up an alliance with Porsenna, King of Tuscany; who, pretending to restore them by open force, marched with a numerous army, and besieged Rome: but was soon surprised with three such instances of the Roman bravery, in the persons of Cocles, Mutius, and Clelia, that he withdrew his army, and courted their friendship. ”

“ He advises his noble friend Ponticus (to whom he dedicates the Satire) to lead a virtuous life; dissuading him from debauchery, luxury, oppression, cruelty, and other vices, by his severe censures on Lateranus, Damasippus, Gracchus, Nero, Catiline: and in opposition to these, displays the worth of persons meanly born, such as Cicero, Marius, Servius Tullius, and the Decii. ”

“ Upon suspicion that Seneca, his tutor, had some knowledge of the conspiracy which Piso was carrying on against his person, Nero laid hold on this opportunity to rid himself of the uneasy censurer of his vices, yet allowed him the liberty of choosing the manner of his death. Seneca was apprehensive of pain, and therefore desired to have his veins opened, which he judged might be the most easy and pleasant method of dying ”

“ And Antonia (Claudius's daughter) was executed under pretence of a conspiracy, but in truth because she refused to marry Nero, after the death of Poppæa.
(33) He caused Rutinus Crispinus, son to Poppæa, to be drowned as he was fishing; and Aulus Plancus, a relation of his mother's to be killed, because she was fond of him.
I need mention no more of these unnatural murders, but go on to his other extravagancies.
(34) He was industrious to be esteemed the best musician of his age; and at his death regretted nothing more sensibly than that the world should lose so great a master. ”

“ Catiline's conspiracy is a story too well known to be insisted on. He was of a noble family, but by his extravagancies had reduced himself to great want, which engaged him in bad practices. The Roman armies were then pursuing conquests in remote provinces, which Catiline judged the most seasonable opportunity for undertaking some desperate design. ”

“ He had likewise a great vanity towards being thought a good poet, and made verses on the destruction of Troy, called Troica; and it is reported, he burnt Rome to be more lively and natural in his description; though it is more probable he destroyed the old fashioned buildings, out of dislike to the narrowness and crookedness of the streets, and to have the honour of rebuilding the city better, and calling it by his own name.
(36) These monstrous frolics and cruelties could not but make his people weary of his government. ”

“ Nero could not suffer his mother Agrippina, because of her encroaching on his government; for which reason he made frequent attempts upon her life, but without success, till at last Anicetus his bondman undertook to stab her; which she perceiving, and guessing by whose orders he came, clapped her hand upon her belly, and bid him (with great presence of mind) strike there, supposing it deserved that punishment for bearing such a monster.
(31) He ordered his first wife, Octavia, to be publicly executed upon a false accusation of adultery ”

“ Juvenal not unjustly places this murder of Seneca among Nero's parricides, since a tutor ought to be esteemed as a civil parent.
(28) This bold thought and expression of Juvenal is grounded on the Roman laws, whereby parricides were condemned to be sewed up in a bag (called Culeus) with a cock, a monkey, a serpent, and a dog, and thrown together into the sea, or any neighbouring river. This punishment of drowning in a sack is still used in several parts of Germany, but without the company of those creatures above mentioned. ”

“ However, they gave not over their pretensions, but sent ambassadors under pretence of soliciting that their estates, at least, might be restored to them; but underhand to insinuate themselves among the loose young noblemen (who grew weary of a commonwealth, because the rigour of their new laws did not tolerate that licentious way of living which they enjoyed under the government of their kings) , and to concert with them the best methods towards their restoration. ”

“ The first being consul with Manlius in the wars against the Latins, and perceiving the left wing, which he commanded, give back, he called out to Valerius, the high-priest, to perform on him the ceremony of consecration (which we find described by Livy in his 6th Book) , and immediately spurred his horse into the thickest of his enemies' forces, where he was killed, and the Roman army gained the battle. His son died in the same manner in the wars against the Gauls; and the Romans, likewise, obtained the victory.
(44) Servius Tullius was son to Oriculana, whom Juvenal calls a serving-maid ”

“ He therefore entered into a conspiracy with Cethegus, Lentulus, and other Senators, and persons considerable by their births and employments, to make themselves absolute masters of their country, by seizing the Senate, plundering the treasury, and burning the city.
(38) Incendiaries by the Roman law were wrapped in a pitched coat (which they called tunica molesta) and burnt alive: as we see by Tacitus Ann. sect. 44. Where Nero, after having set Rome on fire, lays the blame and punishment on the Christians ”

“ The translator of this Satire industriously avoided imposing upon the Reader, and perplexing the printer, with tedious common-place notes: but finding, towards the latter end, many examples of noblemen who disgraced their ancestors by vicious practices; and of men meanly born, who ennobled their families by virtuous and brave actions ”

“ But Homer, in the 4th and 11th Books of his Odyssey, where he describes this murder, is of Juvenal's opinion, that he was killed at a banquet, when he little expected such treatment. Egystheus after this murder married Clytemnestra, and usurped the kingdom of Mycena seven years: during which time Orestes grew up to man's estate, and by the instigation of his sister Electra, and the assistance of some neighbouring princes, marched from Athens, destroyed and murdered the usurper, and at last, under pretence of being mad, stabbed his mother. ”

“ The first king of the Latines.
(20) The poet in this place speaks neither to Rubellius nor Ponticus, but in general to any perjured or debauched nobleman.
(21) Numa Pompilius (the second king of Rome) , the better to civilize the savage humour of the people, first introduced among them the fear and worship of the gods, and instituted the rites and ceremonies of priest, oaths, and sacrifices.
(22) Hippona was the goddess of jockeys and horses.
(23) Ostia, the mouth of the river Tyber.
(24) Meaning Nero, whom he censures severely in the pages following, note 36. ”

“ At last, he was forced out of the senate by Lucius Tarquinius, thrown down stairs, and murdered by his orders. Livy adds this commendation, That with him justa ac legitima regna occiderunt; which agrees with Juvenal's calling him 'The last good king.' For (45) Tarquin, who reigned twenty-five years after him, was hated for his pride and creulty, and for the barbarous rape which his son Sextus committed on Lucretia, wife to Collatinus; who, by the help of (47) L. Junius Brutus, revenged this injury, by driving Tarquin and his whole race out of Rome ”