The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-09
vi.

and Titus as well az Domltlan.
vi.
1t is probable enough that Tacitus derived
his political opinions from those with whom,
first by birth and breeding and subse-
quently by choice or necessity, he habitually
consorted. Like every other human being
he must have been to a certain extent plastic
TO the atmosphere he lived in. From this
premise the deduction is usually drawn
that il wa because the people about him,
with whom he talked and for whom he
wrote, were republicans and enemies Of
the imperial regime, that he himself be-
came so. To justify the conclusion it
would be needful, as u essayist sees, to
prove first that the people around Tacitus
were, as a matter Of fact, republican, and,
secondly, that he was so himself. In the
opinion Of M. Boissier neither postulate
can be established. Malcontents no doubt
there were at Rome during the first century
OF our era. There are recalcitrants every
where and always, no political system
being privileged to satisfy everybody.
There Is no doubt, however, that most
readers Of Tacitus rave been deceived
by appearances. Because the professionals
against this or that princeps, who persona
fed the power and majesty of the State
under the regime founded by Augustus,
had EVER the name Of the ancient republic
in their mouths il has been currently as
sumed that they were Iaboring for its
restoration. We should keep in view,
however, what our eesayist calls to mind,
that among the Romans sit was a pious
usage, almost a duty, to glorify the good
old times, and. that the Emperors them
selves did not fail to do so, though assur-
edly they had not the slightest intention Of
returning TO them" If then we wish to
know precisely what should be thought OF
all the ostentatious displays of memories
and regrets made by the disconnected at
Rome during the first century A. d. we
should look'more closely at the facts, which,
IL scanned narrowly, will themselves pro-
vide enlightenment.
There is no doubt that conspiracies were
very frequent under the early C@sars, and
the historians who relate them tell the
causes Of their inception. Now the cause
is nearly. always hatred Of the Emperor,
rarely hatred Of the Empire. Tacitus him.
self states explicitly that since the time of
Cesar and Pompey the civil wars no longer
had had any other motive than the choice
of a princeps. we scarcely find a single
instance of the c~onspirators holding out
any promise TO restore the old order Of
things; they would not have failed to do
so, however, had they believed that the
old order retained numerous partisans who
might assist them in their enterprise"
II might happen, indeed, once in a great
while, when a sudden mutiny broke out in
the legions, that the mutineers would cover
themselves with the name Of the Roman
people and Senate and pretend to be work
ing for them pending their discovery Of
an Emperor; but, the Emperor once chosen,
there was no longer any question Of Sem
ate and people. As NJ. Boissier reminds us,
one alone Of these co~nspiracies, that in
which Caligula persisted, was followed by
a serious effort to reestablish the Republic.
The speedy and total collapse Of that single
project, however, when Caligula's uncle,
Claudius, was discovered in hiding and pro-
claimed Emperor by the Pretorian Guards,
was not likely to enlist any more re-
cruits in the cause OF the Republic. so,
some years later, when Furius CamilIus IA
noble republican nameD dreamed Of Kidding
the Romans Of Claudius, he had not over
much difficulty in securing attention from
the Senators and knights, exasperated by
Jne prtuCo = btupiuiIy anu Cruelty, out
scarce had he breathed a word to the SOL
diers Of the government Of the Senate and
the people than all forsook him" So, too,
Piso's great conspiracy under Nero was
but "a coalition Of hatreds against a prince
held in detestation by all decent folk. None
dreamed for a moment of restoring the Re
public; it vas a matter Of replacing one
Emperor Wy another The fact Is recalled
that Lucan himself, who was in the humor
for writing the -Pharsalia," that epic 40
full Of republican sentiments, made no
scruple Of risking his life to give a new
master TO Rome, and Tacitus himself re-
lates that careful precautions were taken
not to enlist the consul Vestinus in Piso's
plot, because It was feared that ne would
be too solicitous for liberty" In view Of
these and corroborative facts, it seems to
the author Of this essay that the society
in which Tacitus L;ved had not the views
that generally have been attributed to it. and
that II Is hari b believe thai he thence
derived LetSstation Of the EMPIRE. p
hid Taritus himseli "a IA mnttnr or r,c,