3.A REIGN THAT IS CRUEL IS STORMY
4. Clemency, then, makes rulers not only more honored, but safer also
CHAPTER 11
1. Such was Augustus when he was old, or just upon the verge of old age. In youth he was hotheaded, flared up with anger, and did many things which he looked back upon with regret. To compare the mildness of the deified Augustus with yours no one will dare, even if the arms of youth shall be brought into competition with an old age more than ripe. Granted that he was restrained and clement — yes, to be sure, but it was after Actium’s waters had been stained with Roman blood, after his own and an enemy’s fleet had been destroyed off Sicily, after the altars of Perusia and the proscriptions.
2. I, surely, do not call sated cruelty clemency. This, O Caesar, is true clemency, that you display, which arises from no regret for violence done, that bears no stain, and never shed a cornpatriot’s blood. In a position of unlimited power this is in the truest sense self-control and an inclusive love of the human race — not to be perverted by any low desire, or to be kindled by rashness, nor by the corrupt example of previous princes to be tempted into testing by experiment what license one may employ against fellow-citizens, but rather to dull the edge of supreme power.
3. You have achieved, Caesar, a state unstained by blood, and you have
To understand the plan of this chapter it is worthwhile to summarize the previous material. Nero was to have been admonished by example that cruelty is ruinous for kings, for when one enemy has been disposed of, it arouses many more; and that by gentleness and clemency security is assured. Augustus was put forward as an example, who, while as yet a young man, and inclined to wrath because of his youth, used his power to the destruction of many. Conspiracies rose up against him, which he punished with great harshness, without getting any further. After L. Cinna got off unpunished, no one rose up to ambush him. Then other examples of clemency are added, which made him beloved and favored by his subjects; this earned him safety while still alive and favor after his death.
Now from the comparison Seneca increases Nero’s gentleness. For if Augustus’ vices are weighed with his virtues, hatred of cruelty obliterates the grace of gentleness. Therefore of the two Nero ought to be by far the more pleasing, since he has mixed no vices with virtues.
EVEN IF THE ARMS OF YOUTH SHALL BE BROUGHT INTO COMPETITION
That is to say: if the gentleness of Augustus, already old, already moderated by the tempering of age, is compared with your youthful gentleness. Amplification from age. Moderation is proper to old age;
intemperance is natural to youth. Therefore it is all the more remarkable that a youth should excel an old man in moderation.
GRANTED HE WAS RESTRAINED
An example of Confession: when we concede something, then mention something which invalidates our own statement.
YES, TO BE SURE, BUT IT WAS AFTER ACTIUM’S WATERS Much Roman blood seems to have been shed at Actium, a promontory in the Gulf of Arabracia where Caesar defeated Antony. For a long time the fighting was a draw, both sides struggling most bitterly, until sixty ships of Cleopatra, which had been placed behind the large ships, took flight, and brought terror upon the others. Yet if what Plutarch [Ant., 67] writes is true, of the followers of Antony not over 5,000 fell in that battle. For this
reason, it is strange that Seneca, having passed over the disaster of the battle of Philippi, in which the flower of Roman nobility perished, remembered this as noteworthy.
AFTER HIS OWN AND AN ENEMY’S FLEET HAD BEEN DESTROYED OFF SICILY
Augustus scarcely ever ran more or greater risks in any of his wars, says Suetonius [Aug., 16.3], than in the Sicilian war against Pompey. Twice he lost a fleet, overwhelmed in storms. And that in summer, as Pliny [7.52 (53) 178] and Appian [5.98.406ff] write. Attacked by Demochares and Apollophanes, Pompey’s admirals, he escaped with difficulty and with one ship only. Even with these difficulties he defeated the enemy in no
bloodless victory. Hence Seneca says: AFTER HIS OWN AND AN ENEMY’S FLEET HAD BEEN WRECKED OFF SICILY.
AFTER THE ALTARS OF PERUSIA
He speaks elsewhere of the Perusine war, which Augustus undertook against Lucius Antony: he (Lucius Antony) had rebelled both at the prompting of Fulvia his audacious wife, and with the assurance of the consulate, which he was then occupying. The opportunity arose: the multitude having been deprived of its possessions by the veteran soldiers, to whom the farmlands had been assigned, flowed upon him from all sides and hailed him as emperor. Having gathered a force, he occupied Perusia, the richest city of Etruria, which, besieged by wall and ditch, Augustus forced to capitulate. All these events are fully described by Appian. From Suetonius [Aug., 15], however, we learn why Seneca mentions THE ALTARS OF PERUSIA: Some authors write, he says, that three hundred men of both orders, selected from the surrendered, were slaughtered, like victims, before an altar raised to the Divine Julius, upon the ides of March.
AND THE PROSCRIPTIONS
Juvenal [Sat., 2.28] well calls the triumvirs “the pupils of Sulla” on account of the proscriptions. For nothing more frightful was ever seen at Rome than those three beasts sitting in the Forum, destining by name to slaughter all those who excelled in wealth, honor, friendship — and not
men only, but (disgraceful to say) also women. Octavius, [Suet., Aug., 27.12] although he for some time opposed his colleagues’ plan for a proscription, once it was begun, prosecuted it with more determined rigor than either of them. While they were often prevailed on through favor and entreaty to show mercy, he alone strongly insisted that no one should be spared. He even proscribed C. Toranius, his guardian... When... Marcus Lepidus made an apology in the senate for their past deeds, and gave hopes of clemency in the future, since enough punishments had been imposed, Augustus declared the only limitation he had fixed for the proscription was that he should be free to act as he pleased.