Chapter 10

DOmitianus Nero, the sonne of Domitius Enobar- bus, Agrippina was his mothers name: this Agrip- pina, was Empresse of Rome, wife to Claudius Ti- [Fol. xlv.r] [Sidenote: Agrippina.] berius, the daughter of his brother Germanicus. This A- grippina, the Chronicle noteth her, to be indued with al mis- chief and crueltée: For, Tiberius her housbande, hauyng by his firste wife children, thei were murthered by her, because she might, thei beyng murthered, with more facilitée, fur- ther the Empire, to her soonnes handes, many treasons con- spired against them oftentimes, Agrippina poisoned her hus- bande, then Nero succeded.

¶ Of his educacion.

[Sidenote: Seneca schol maister to Nero.] SEneca the famous Poete & Philosopher, was schole- maister to Nero, who brought hym vp in all nobili- tie of learnyng, mete for his state: though that Nero was wickedlie of nature disposed, as his beastlie gouerne- ment sheweth, yet wickednes in him, was by the seueritie of Seneca, and his castigacion depressed: for Traianus Empe- rour of Rome, would saie, as concernyng Nero, for the space of fiue yeres, no Prince was like to hym, for good gouerne- ment, after fiue yeres, losely and dissolutly he gouerned.

¶ Of his actes.

[Sidenote: The dreame of Agrippina mother to Nero, in his concepcion.] THis Nero, at what tyme as his mother was con- ceiued of him, she dreamed that she was conceiued of a Uiper: for, the young Uiper alwaies killeth his dame. He was not onely a Uiper to his mo- ther whom he killed, but also to his kyngdome and common wealthe a destroier, whiche afterward shalbe shewed, what [Sidenote: Nero a viper[.]] a tyraunte and bloodie gouernour he was. This Nero made in the Citee of Rome, the rounde seates and scaffoldes, to be- holde spectacles and sightes, and also the bathes. He subdued [Sidenote: Pontus. Colchis. Cappadocia. Armenia.] Pontus a greate countrée, whiche ioineth to the sea Pontus: whiche countrée containeth these realmes, Colchis, Cappa- docia, Armenia, and many other countrées, and made it as a Prouince, by the suffraunce of Polemon Regulus, by whose name it was called Pontus Polemoniacus. He ouer came the Alpes, of the king Cotteius, Cottius the king being dedde[.] [Fol. xlv.v] [Sidenote: Nero vnwor[-] thie to be chron[-] icled. Seneca.] The life followyng of Nero was so abhominable, that the shame of his life, will make any man a fraied, to leaue any memorie of hym. This Domitius Nero, caused his Schole- maister Seneca to be put to death, Seneca chosing his owne death, his veines beyng cutte in a hotte bathe died, bicause he corrected wicked Nero, to traine hym to vertue. He was out- ragious wicked, that he had co[n]sideracion, neither to his own honestie, nor to other, but in continuaunce, he tired hymself as virgines doe when thei marie, callyng a Senate, the dou- rie assigned, and as the maner of that solemnitée is, many re- sortyng and frequentyng, in maidens tire and apparell. He [Sidenote: The shamful life of Nero.] went beyng a man, to be maried as a woman: beside this, at other tymes he cladde hymself with the skin of a wilde beast, and beastlie did handle that, whiche Nature remoueth from the sight. He defiled hymself with his owne mother, whom he killed immediatlie. He maried twoo wiues, Octauia, and Sabina, otherwise called Poppea, firste murtheryng their [Sidenote: Galba. Caius Iu- lius.] housbandes. In that tyme Galba vsurped the Empire, and Caius Iulius: as sone as Nero heard that Galba came nere towardes Rome, euen then the Senate of Rome had deter- mined, that Nero should bee whipped to death with roddes, accordyng to the old vsage of their auncestours, his necke yo- ked with a forke. This wicked Nero, seyng himself forsaken of all his friendes, at midnight he departed out of the Citée, Ephaon, and Epaphroditus waityng on hym, Neophitus and Sporus his Eunuche: whiche Sporus before tyme, had [Sidenote: The death of Nero.] Nero assaied to frame and fashion out of kinde. In the ende, Nero thruste himself through, with the poinct of his sworde, his wicked man Sporus, thrustyng foreward his trembling hande: this wicked Nero before that, hauyng none to mur- ther hym, he made a exclamacion, in these woordes. Is there neither friende nor enemie to kill me, shamefullie haue I li- ued, and with more shame shall I die, in the .xxxij. yere of his age he died. The Persians so entirely loued hym, that after his death thei sente Ambassadours, desiryng licence to erecte [Fol. xlvj.r] to hym a monumente, all countrées and Prouinces, and the whole Citée of Rome, did so moche reioyce of his death, that thei all wearyng the Toppintant hattes, whiche bonde men doe vse to ware, when thei bée sette at libertie, and so thei tri- umphed of his death, deliuered from so cruell a tyraunte.

¶ A comparison.

[Sidenote: Nero. Caligula. Domitianus[.] Antoninus.] AS for wicked gouernement, Nero doeth make Ca- ligula like to Comodus, Domitianus, Antoninus Caracalla, thei were all so wicked, that the Senate of Rome thought it méete, to obliterate their name, from all memorie and Chronicle, because of their wickednesse.

¶ The conclusion.

MOche more the life and gouernement of wicked Ne- ro, might be intreated of, but this shall be sufficient: to shewe how tyrannically and beastly, he gouerned vnmete of that throne.

¶ A comparison.

A Comparison, is a certain Oracion, shewyng by a collacion the worthines, or excelle[n]cie of any thing: or the naughtines of thesame, compared with any other thyng or thynges, either equalle, or more in- feriour.

In a comparison good thynges, are compared with good as one vertue with an other: as wisedome & strength, whiche of them moste auaileth in peace and warre.

Euill thynges maie bee compared with good, as Iustice, with iniustice, wisedome with foolishnes.

Euill thynges maie be compared, with euill thynges, as wicked Nero, compared to Domitianus, or Caligula to Co[m]- modus, theft to homicide, drunkenes with adulterie.

Small thynges maie be compared with greate: the king with his subiect, the Elephant or Camell to the Flie, a Cro- codile to the Scarabe.

In a comparison, where argumente is supputated on [Fol. xlvj.v] bothe the sides, worthelie to praise, or dispraise.

Where a comparison is made, betwene a thyng excel- lente, and a thyng more inferiour: the comparison shall pro- cede with like facilitee.

All thynges that maie bee celebrated with praise, or that meriteth dispraise: al soche thynges maie be in a comparison.

The persone, as Cato being a wise man, maie be compa- red with Nestor, the sage péere of Grece: Pompei with Ce- sar, as Lucane compareth them, and so of all other men.

Thynges maie bee compared, as golde with siluer: one mettall with an other.

Tymes maie be compared, as the Spryng with Som- mer: Harueste with Winter.

Places maie be compared, as London with Yorke, Ox- forde with Cambridge.

Beastes without reason, as the Bée with the Ante, the Oxe with the Shepe.

Plantes, as the Uine, and the Oliue.

First, make a _proemium_ or beginnyng to your co[m]parison[.]

Then compare them of their countrée.

Of their parentes.

Of their auncestours.

Of their educacion.

Of their actes.

Of their death.

Then adde the conclusion.

¶ A comparison betwene De- mosthenes and Tullie.

TO speake moche in the praise of famous men, no argument can wante, nor plentie of matter to make of them, a copious and excellent Ora- cion. Their actes in life through nobilitée, will craue worthelie more, then the witte and penne of the learned, can by Eloquence expresse. Who can worthelie expresse and sette foorthe, the noble Philosopher [Fol. xlvij.r] [Sidenote: Plato. Aristotle.] Plato, or Aristotle, as matter worthelie forceth to commend, when as of them, all learnyng, and singularitée of artes hath flowen. All ages hath by their monuments of learning, par- ticipated of their wisedome. Grece hath fostered many noble wittes, from whom all light of knowlege, hath been deriued by whose excellencie Rome in tyme florishyng, did seeke by nobilitée of learnyng, to mate the noble Grecians. So moche Italie was adorned, and beautified with the cunnyng of the Grecians. Emong the Romaines many famous Oratours and other noble men hath spronge vp, who for their worthi- nesse, might haue contended with any nacion: either for their [Sidenote: Tullie.] glorie of learnyng, or noble regiment. Emong whom Tul- lie by learning, aboue the rest, rose to high fame, that he was a renoume to his countree: to learnyng a light, of all singuler Eloquence a fountaine. Whom Demosthenes the famous Oratour of Athenes, as a worthie mate is compared with, whom not onely the nobilitée, and renoume of their Coun- trée shall decorate, but the[m] selues their owne worthines & no- bilitée of fame. No age hath had twoo more famous for lear- nyng, no common wealthe hath tasted, twoo more profitable to their countrée, and common wealthe: for grauitée and cou[n]- saile, nor the posteritée of ages, twoo more worthie celebra- [Sidenote: Thusidides.] cion. Thusidides speakyng, in the commendacion of famous men sheweth: as concernyng the fame of noble men, whose [Sidenote: The enuious manne.] vertue farre surmounteth the[m], and passeth al other. Thenui- ous man seketh to depraue, the worthinesse of fame in other, [Sidenote: The igno- raunte.] his bragging nature with fame of praise, not decorated. The ignoraunte and simple nature, accordyng to his knowlege, iudgeth all singularitée, and tempereth by his owne actes the praise of other. But the fame of these twoo Oratours, nei- ther the enuious nature can diminishe their praise, nor the ignoraunt be of them a arbitrator or iudge, so worthely hath all ages raised fame, and commendacion of their vertues.

¶ Of their countree.

[Fol. xlvij.v]

IN Grece Demosthenes, the famous Oratour of A- thenes was borne, whose Countrée or Citee, lacketh no co[m]mendacion: either for the nobilitée of the lande, or glorie of the people. What nacion vnder the Sunne, hath not heard of that mightie Monarchie of Grece: of their migh- tie citees, and pollitike gouernaunce. What famous Poetes how many noble Philosophers and Oratours, hath Grece brede. What science and arte, hath not flowne from Grece, so that for the worthinesse of it, it maie bee called the mother of all learnyng. Roome also, in whom Tullie was brought vp, maie contende in all nobilitée, whose power and puisant glorie, by nobilitée of actes, rose to that mightie hed. In bothe soche excellencie is founde, as that no nacion might better contende, of their singularitée and honour of countrée, then Grece and Rome: yet first from the Grekes, the light of Phi- losophie, and the aboundant knowledge of all artes, sprange to the Romaines, from the Grecians. The Godlie Lawes, wherewith the Romaine Empire was decorated and gouer- ned, was brought from the Grecians. If the citee maie bee a honour and glorie, to these twoo Oratours, or their Citees a singuler commendacion, there wanteth in bothe, neither ho- nour, or nobilitée.

¶ Of their auncestours, and parentes.

BOthe Demosthenes and Tullie were borne, of ve- rie meane parentes and auncestours: yet thei tho- rowe their learnyng and vertues, became famous, ascendyng to all nobilitée. Of their vertues and learnyng, not of their auncestours, nobilitée rose to them.

¶ Of the educacion.

THE singuler vertues of theim bothe, appered euen in their tender youth: wherupon thei being brought vp, in all godlie learnyng and noble Sciences, thei became moste noble Oratours, and by their copious Elo- quence, counsaile, and wisedom, aspired to nobilitée & honor.

¶ Of their scholyng.

[Fol. xlviij.r]

BOthe were taught of the mouthe of the best learned, Demosthenes of Iseus, a man moste Eloquent: Ci- cero of Philo and Milo, famous in wisedome and Eloquence.

¶ Of their exercise.

CIcero did exercise hymself verie moche, to declaime, bothe in Greke and Latine, with Marcus Piso, and with Quintus Pampeius. Demosthenes wanted not industrie and labour, to attain to that singularitée, whi- che he had, bothe in Eloquence, and pronounciacion.

¶ Of the giftes of their minde.

IN bothe, integritee, humanitee, magnanimitee, and all vertue flowed: at what time as Demosthe- nes was commaunded of the Athenians, to frame a accusacion, againste a certaine man, Demosthe- nes refused the acte. But when the people, and the whole multitude, were wrothe with hym, and made a exclamacion against hym, as their maner was. Then Demosthenes rose, and saied: O ye men of Athenes, againste my will, you haue me a counsailer, or pleater of causes before you: but as for a accuser, & calumniator, no, not although ye would. Of this sorte Tullie was affected, excepte it were onely in the saue- gard of his conutrée: as against Catiline, bothe were of god- lie, and of vpright conuersacion, altogether in Mediocrite, and a newe leadyng their life.

¶ Of their actes.

DEmosthenes and Tullie bothe, gaue them selues to trauail, in the causes and affaires of their com- mon wealthe, to the preseruacion of it. How ve- hemently did Demosthenes pleate, and ingeni- ouslie handle the cause of all his countrée, against Philip, for the defence of their libertee: whereupon he gatte fame, and greate glory. Whereby not onely, he was coumpted a great wise counsailour: but one of a valiaunte stomacke, at whose [Fol. xlviij.v] [Sidenote: Darius. Philip. Demosthe- nes.] wisedome, all Grece stode in admiracion. The kyng of Per- sia, laboured to enter fauour with him. Philip the king of the Macedonians, would saie often tymes, he had to doe against a famous man, notyng Demosthenes. Tullie also by his E- loquence and wisedome, saued Roome and all partes of that dominion, from greate daungers.

¶ Of their aucthoritee.

THeir aucthoritee and dignitee was equalle, in the common wealthe: For, at their twoo mouthes, Roome and Athenes was vpholed. Demosthenes was chief in fauour with Caretes, Diophetes, Le[-] ostines, Cicero with Pompei: Iulius Cesar, ascending to the chief seate and dignitée of the Consulship.

¶ Of a like fall that happened to them, before their death.

YOu can not finde soche twoo Orators, who borne of meane & poore parentes, that attained so greate honour, who also did obiecte themselues to tyran- tes a like, thei had losse of their children a like, bothe were out of their countree banished men, their returne was with honour, bothe also fliyng, happened into the han- des of their enemies.

¶ Of their death.

[Sidenote: Antipater. Demosthe- nes. Archias. Marcus Antonius. Tullie.] BOthe a like, Demosthenes and Tully wer put to death, Demosthenes died, Antipater gouernyng by the handes of Archias. Cicero died by the com- maundement of Marcus Antonius: by Herenius his hedde was cutte of, and sette in Marcus Antonius halle. His handes also were cutte of, with the whiche he wrote the vehement Oracions against Marcus Antonius.

¶ The conclusion.

TO speake as moche as maie bee saied, in the praise of theim: their praise would rise to a mightie volume, but this is sufficiente.

[Fol. xlix.r]

¶ _Ethopoeia._

_Ethopoeia_ is a certaine Oracion made by voice, and la- mentable imitacion, vpon the state of any one.

This imitacion is in { _Eidolopoeia._ } iij. sortes, either it is. { _Prosopopoeia._ } { _Ethopoeia._ }

That parte, whiche is called _Ethopoeia_ is that, whiche hath the persone knowne: but onely it doeth faigne the ma- ners of thesame, and imitate in a Oracion thesame.

_Ethopoeia_ is called of Priscianus, a certaine talkyng to of any one, or a imitacio[n] of talke referred to the maners, apt- ly of any certaine knowen persone.

Quintilianus saieth, that _Ethopoeia_ is a imitacion of o- ther meane maners: whom the Grekes dooe calle, not onelie _Ethopoeia_, but _mimesis_, & this is in the maners, and the fact.

This parte is as it were, a liuely expression of the maner and affeccion of any thyng, whereupon it hath his name.

The _Ethopoeia_ is in three sortes.

The firste, a imitacion passiue, whiche expresseth the af- fection, to whom it parteineth: whiche altogether expresseth the mocion of the mynde, as what patheticall and dolefull o- racion, Hecuba the quene made, the citee of Troie destroied, her housbande, her children slaine.

The second is called a morall imitacio[n], the whiche doeth set forthe onely, the maners of any one.

The thirde is a mixt, the whiche setteth forthe, bothe the maners and the affection, as how, and after what sorte, A- chilles spake vpon Patroclus, he beyng dedde, when for his sake, he determined to fight: the determinacion of hym she- weth the maner. The frende slaine, the affection.

In the makyng of _Ethopoeia_, lette it be plaine, and with- out any large circumstaunce.

[Fol. xlix.v]

In the makyng of it, ye shall diuide it thus, to make the Oracion more plaine, into three tymes.

{ A presente tyme. } { A tyme paste. } { A tyme to come. }

_Eidolopoeia_ is that part of this Oracion, whiche maketh a persone knowne though dedde, and not able to speake.

[Sidenote: _Eidolopoeia_[.]] _Eidolopoeia_ is called of Priscianus, a imitacion of talke of any one, vpon a dedde manne, it is then called _Eidolopoeia_, when a dedde man talketh, or communicacion made vpon a dedde manne.

_Eidolopoeia_, when a dedde manne talketh, is set forthe of Euripides, vpon the persone of Polidorus dedde, whose spi- rite entereth at the Prologue of the tragedie.

Hector slain, speaketh to Eneas in _Eidolopoeia_. O Eneas thou goddes sonne, flie and saue thy self, from this ruine and fire: the enemies hath taken the walles, and loftie Troie is prostrate to the grounde. I would haue thought, I had died valiantlie inough to my countrée, and my father Priamus, if with this my right hande, Troie had bee defended.

Polidorus beyng dedde, in _Eidolopoeia_ talketh to Eneas whiche Uirgil sheweth in his thirde booke of Eneados.

Iulia the wife of Pompei beyng dedde, spake to Pompe, preparyng his arme against Cesar, _Eidolopoeia_. Reade Lu- cane, in the beginnyng of his thirde booke.

Tullie vseth _Eidolopoeia_, when he maketh talke vpon Hiero beyng dedde.

If that kyng Hiero were reduced fro[m] his death, who was a aduauncer of the Romaine Empire, with what counte- naunce, either Siracusa or Rome, might be shewed to hym, whom he maie beholde with his iyes. His countree brought to ruin, & spoiled, if that kyng Hiero should but enter Rome, euen in the firste entryng, he should beholde the spoile of his countree.

Tullie also vseth the like _Eidolopoeia_, as thus, vpon Lu- [Fol. l.r] cius Brutus dedde.

[Sidenote: Lucius Brutus.] If it so wer, that Lucius Brutus, that noble and famous manne were on liue, and before your presence: would he not vse this oracion: I Brutus, somtyme did banishe and cast out for crueltee, the state and office of kinges, by the horrible fact of Tarquinius, againste Lucretia, and all that name bani- shed, but you haue brought in tyrauntes. I Brutus did re- duce the Romain Empire, to a fredome and libertée: but you foolishly can not vphold and maintein, thesame giuen to you. I Brutus, with the daunger of my life, haue saued my coun[-] tree of Roome, but you without all daunger, lose it.

¶ _Prosopopoeia._

AS co[n]cerning _Prosopopoeia_, it is as Pristianus saith, when to any one againste nature, speache is feigned to bee giuen.

Tullie vseth for a like example this, when he maketh Roome to talke againste Cateline.

¶ _Prosopopoeia_ of Roome.

[Sidenote: Catiline.] NO mischief hath been perpetrated, this many yeres, but by thee Catiline, no pestiferous acte enterprised, without thee: thou a lone, for thy horrible murther perpetrated vpon the citee of Rome, for the spoile and robbe- ries of their gooddes art vnpunished. Thou onelie haste been of that force and power, to caste doune all lawes and aucthori- tee. Although these thinges were not to be borne, yet I haue borne them: but now thy horrible factes are come to soche an issue, that I feare thy mischiues. Wherfore leaue of Cateline and deminishe this feare from me, that I maie be in securitée[.]

Lucane the Poete, intreating of mightie and fearce war- res, againste Pompei and Cesar, maketh Roome to vse this _Prosopopoeia_ againste Cesar.

_Quo tenditis vltra quo fertis mea signa viri, Si iure venitis si aues hucusq[ue] licet._

_Prosopopoeia_ is properlie, when all thinges are faigned bothe the maners, the persone, as of Roome in this place.

[Fol. l.v]

¶ What lamentable Oracion Hecuba Quene of Troie might make, Troie being destroied.