Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-07-31
NOTABLE LUNATICS.
Tyranny and DesPOtlsl the Result Of Cerebral
nlaeasal

ulaenAes
Iron the Dublin University MaE-Einel
Much Of the tyranny and despotism Of the
world have been the result Of cerebral dis
ease, aud II Justice had been done not u few
Of the rulers Of history would have been con-
fined In asylums for the Insane. CAllgula,
the beastly Roman emperor, was certainly
lunatlc. His accession to the throne was
greeted with Joy by the Roman people, and
he afteward became so popular by the gen.
erOus aud concllialory acts OF his reign that
when he was attacked with sickness sacrifices
were offered In the temples for his recovery.
His brain undoubtedly became diseased
during bis sickness, for from that time he
became q changed man. The remaining four
years Of his reign were disgraced by some Of
the most unnatural and capriclous tyranny
recorded Ia history. He put TO death large
NUM- or Of his Senators. Every ten days be
delivered human victims 10 be deyOured by
Wild b, Nsts, and jOeosely termed this hoErid
act 'clearing his account He caused divine
honors 10 be paid 10 himself, In q temple
erected expressly for that purpose, and under
the superintendent OF priests OF his own ap-
polntment. lie Invited his fayorlle horse,
lncltaius, 10 dine Al the royal table, where
he was fed on gildcd oats and drank wine
from ieWeled gobblets, and butte his prema-
ture death this animal would have been raised
TO the consulship.
In q more enlightened Aad liberal age
Callgula would have been sent to an insane
retreat. The Romans endured his cruelty
for four years, and then put him to death by
a well-planned and successful conspiracy.
The career OF Nero was somewhat like that
of Callgula. In youth he was notably clever,
kindly and amlable, aud for the first ave
years Of his reign he ruled with clemency
and justice. He was at this time so hRras0od
by the attempts OF his mother TO wTest the
sceptre from his hands that hls b. ain prOba-
bly, became dlsordered, aud he was metamor-
phosed into tyranL He poisoned his own
brother AT a feast TO which he had invited
him. His mother, AgTippina, he murdered
In her own bed. He Telentlessly prosecuted
the Christians on the plea that they had set
fire TO Rome. He caused 10 be executed Luz
can, the poet, and Seneca, the philosopher,
and kicked his own wife to death. Nor was
his insanity manifested by acts Of cruelty
alone. He had silly rage for music, and In
his morbid ambition To be thought the great
est singer In the world, he appeared on the
stage In the character OF an operatic per-
former DOmitian, Heliogabalus, and pos
Silly some OF the tyTants Of Rome, must
have been OF unsOund mind.
DOmitian, like Callgula and Nero, began to
reign with generosity, and under the pres
Bures aud worTylngs Of government he deyel-
oped Into q monster. HellOgabulus made his
horse consul, appointed Senate Of women,
forced the Romans TO worship black stone,
and prepared golden swords and daggers,
and cords Of silk and gold, In order TO put an
end TO his own life whenever he saw it, All
these were the freaks OF 4 mailman. Alex
andeT the Great behaved like lunatic In the
latter days Of his reign, and the supposltlon
Is plausible that " he had survived few
years longer he might have become q most
lmplacAble and capriclous tyrant. From be-
ing very abstemlOus he gave himself up TO
debAnohery. His lust for power became q
disease, and he strOye for gigantic lmpOssl-
bllities. Robesplerre and some Of the other
leaders In the French revolution were prOba-
bly, made more or less insane by the exciting
events m which they took part. IL Is certain
that RObcspieTre was natiyely klndhearted
AMI considerable, for he began life by endeay-
or .ng 10 procure the abolition Of capital pun
iAnment.
Louis XI. Of France was insane both In
his despOtic cruelty and In his caprIces. He
shut up his mobiles IN cages or hung them on
the trees Of the forest. lie lived In constant
fear Of death, kept In seclusion In his castle,
was on intimate terms with his hangman,
amused himself by watching battles between |
rats and cats, drank the blood Of young |
children, and tried various and abominable |
compounds In order 10 lengthen his life. |
Jeffreys, the notorious English judge, was a
raylng maniac and that he was allowed to
preslde at the circuits Is u seVerer comment
on the scientific ignorance than on the pOliti-
cal cruelty OF the age.