The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-07-27
Notable Lunatics.

Much Of the tyranny and despntism Of
the world have been the result II cerebral
disease, and # justice had been done. not a
few If the rulers If history would have been
confined III asylums for the insane Cali
gula, the beastly Roman Emperor, was Ger
tanly lunatIc. His accession tu the
throne ~as greeted with joy by the Roman
people and he afterW ard became ~ pupu-
lar by the generous and c..Ilciliat"ry acts of
ms rcIgn, that when he was attacked With
sickness, sacrifices we're ..fered In the tenn
pie for his recovery His BRAN undoubtedly
became dlseAsed during his sickness, for
from that time lac became a changed man. The
remaining tour years e his reign were dis
grActd iiy ~'iiir - the m',st unnatural and
caprlrl"us tyranny recorded Ia history.
He put I" death a Large number II his Sen
aturs. Every ten days he delivered hui
mai victims {" be dev"ure,i ~ aid beasts
and Ioc"sely termed tins h"rrld act clear
ing his account He caused divine hon
ors 70 be paId Ia himself. IN a temple
erected expressly for thai purpose. and I'M
der the superintendencr ~ priests az his
own appointment. Tie invited ms favorite
horse, L,cifat,ts, to dine at the royal table.
where he was fed ON gilded oats and drank
wine from jeweled goblets. and but for his
premature death this animal would have
been raised Ia the cunsulship. In a more
enlightened and liberal age Caliglla would
have been depOsed and sent to an insane
retreat. The Romans endured his cruelty
Tor four years. and then put him 10 death
BY well-planned and successful conspi-
racy.
The career Of Nero was somewhat like
that II CaligulS. In youth he was nota-
bly, clever, kindly and amiable, and for the
hrst hve years 81 his reign he ruled with
clemency and Justice. He was at tbi. time
80 harrassed by the attempts Of his mother
" wrest the ScePtre from his hands. that
hls brain probably became disordered. and
he was metamorphosed into tyrant He
poisoned his own brother at a feast 10
which he had invited him His mother.
Agnppma, he murdered in her own bed |
ne relentlessly prosecuted the Christians
on the plea that they had set fire to Rome.
he caused 70 be executed Lucan, the poet
and Seneca, the philosopher. and kicked |
his own wife 10 death Nor was his insan-
ity manifested 10y acts Of cruelty alone. H. |
had "a silly rage for music. and in his NOR
bid ambition To be thought the creates, |
singer Of the world, he appeared on the |
stage in the character Of an operate ner-
former. Domitian, Heliogahalus. and pos
slbly ais" some Of the tyrants Of Rome |
must have been Of unsound mind. D,mi. |
tian, like Caligila and Nero, began n
reign with generosity, and under the |
Pressures and worryings Il government he |
developed into a monster HelioQobalus
made his horse Consul, appointed Senate
Of women, forced the Romans 10 worship 4 |
black stone, and prepared golden ,wortls !
and daggers, and Cords of silk and gold. |
IN order t. PUT an end a. his own life when !
ever he saw hit. All these were the freaks |
q madman. Alexander the Great he
naVed Ike u hlnatic in the latter DAYS Of |
nus reign, and the SUPERSTITION in plausible.
that Il he had survived few years longer |
ne might have become a mnst implacable |
and caprlci"s tyrant. FROM beiIW very
Abstemlous he gave himself up a. debauch-
cry. His lust for power became a disease
and he strove for gigantic impoasibilitie,
Robesplerre aud some Of the other leader.
IN the French Revolution were probably
more or less insane by the exciting events |
IN which they took part. IL is certain