Epistle XXXI. To Cornelian.
by
the Same. [Mr. Henley.]
[_]
On a Hearing of several Causes at Centumcellæ, a Country-House belonging to the Emperor
Trajan.
THE Emperor having call'd me to Council, at Centumcellæ, (so the Place is call'd) it afforded me a very agreeable Scene of Pleasure.
For what could be more delightful, than to view the Justice, Majesty,
and Affability of a Prince, in a private Lodging, where all this is the most openly display'd?
There were several Processes, such as were fit to exercise the Virtues of a Judge,
by various manners. Claudius Aristo, the Principal Man among the
Ephesians, open'd his Cause: He was a Person of a Generous Temper,
and of harmless Popularity. This drew the Envy of some upon him. An Informer of a different Character was sent against him,
by some Persons of the same Kidney: Therefore he was acquitted, and had Justice done him.
On the Day following, Gallita was heard, in an Action of Adultery:
She had been married to a Colonel,
who design'd to be a Candidate for Preferment at
Rome, but stain'd her own Honour,
and that of her Husband, by a Criminal Amour with a Centurion. The Husband wrote to the Lieutenant Governour about it,
and he to
Cæsar.
Cæsar, on a full Discussion of the Evidence,
cashier'd and Banish'd the Centurion: The other part of the Crime, as it is necessarily the Crime of two,
remain'd to be punish'd. But here the Love of his Wife was a check upon the Husband,
not without a little suspicion of Connivance. For after this Action, he kept her at home,
as if he had been fully satisfy'd with the Removal of his Rival. On an Admonition to finish the Action,
he proceeded in it with Reluctance; but it was necessary to pass a Condemnation upon her,
against the Will of the Accuser; and she was left to the Penalty of the
Julian Law.
Cæsar added both the Name of the Centurion, and the mention of Military Discipline,
to the Sentence, that he might not seem to reduce every Cause of
this kind to his own hearing. On the third Day, another Action was brought in,
that had been the Subject of much, and different Talk, about the Will of
Julius Tyro, which appear'd to be partly true, and was reported to be in a good Measure false.
The Defendants were
Sempronius Senecio, a
Roman Knight,
and
Eurythmus the Freed man, and Agent of
Cæsar. The Heirs,
when
Cæsar was in
Dacia, petition'd him, in a joint Letter,
for a Hearing.
He granted their Petition. On his return to
Rome, he appointed a Day for it;
and when some of the Heirs would have desisted from the Proceeding, as it were out of respect to
Eurythmus, He finely said, he is not a
Polycletus, nor am I a
Nero. Yet he allow'd their desire of an Adjourment, and when the time of that was expir'd,
he sate upon the Cause. Two appear'd on the Part of the Heirs, they insisted,
that all should be oblig'd to join in the Action, since all had join'd in the first Charge,
or that they should have an equal Liberty to decline it.
Cæsar
express'd himself with much Weight and Moderation; and when the Advocate of
Senecio and
Eurythmus said, that the Defendents were expos'd to ill Suspicions,
if they were not heard, he reply'd, It is no Concern to me, whether they be left open to Suspicions,
I certainly am in this Case. Then, turning to us, determine, said he,
what we ought to do, for these Men are dispos'd to Complain, that they have
leave to withdraw their Suit. Then, on the Opinion of the Council, he gave an Order to all the Heirs,
either to plead or that each of them should approve the Reasons for desisting,
otherwise, that he would pronounce upon it, as a Case of Calumny. You see,
how honourably and usefully these Days have been employ'd; they were follow'd by some very agreeable Diversions.
We were every Day at Supper with the Emperor; it was a frugal Entertainment,
for
a Prince; sometimes we had a Play; sometimes the Night was carry'd on with pleasant Conversation:
On the last Day before we took leave, we had Reason to admire the Care he shew'd to oblige us,
in sending us Presents; for my Particular, I was not only much delighted with the Solemnity of the Causes,
the Honour of being one of the Council, the Pleasure and Familiarity of the Emperor's Company,
but with the Charms of the Place it self. The House is very magnificent,
surrounded with Green Fields; it commands the Sea, and the Shore forms a Bay into a spacious Harbour,
in the Shape of an Amphitheatre; the left side of it is fortify'd with a very strong work;
the right Side is now working upon: And Island rises in the Mouth of the Harbour,
that breaks, by its Opposition, the Sea, as the wind drives it; and affords a safe Riding to the Vessels on both Sides.
It is rais'd with surprizing Art; a Ponton of large Boats bears up Stones of considerable Bulk;
more are continually flung upon these, they lie close by the
very Weight of them, and by degrees form a kind of Mole. The Top of this Bank of Stone already appears,
it divides, and casts very high the Waves that strike upon it; this produces a vast roaring of the Water,
and a foamy Sta about it. Great Pieces of Rock are added to these Stones,
which, in length of Time, will resemble a natural Island. This Port will bear the Emperor's Name,
and will be extreamly Commodious;
for the Shore is unprovided with a Port, all along, and will find the Advantage of this Harbour.
Farewell.
