[28] Impera’tor, a title of honour among the Romans, conferred on victorious generals by their armies, and afterwards by the senate.

[29] It is a remarkable fact, that the most odious tyrants that ever sat on the Roman throne, commenced their reigns with a display of all the virtues that adorn humanity:  on the contrary, Augustus, who was truly the father of his people, began his reign with cruelties that afforded but a melancholy presage of his future administration.

[30] In the reign of Domi’tian, a violent persecution raged against the Christians.  During this persecution St. John was confined to the Isle of Patmos, in the Archipelago, where he wrote the Apoc’alypse, or Revelation.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXIII.

SECTION I.

THE FIVE GOOD EMPERORS OF ROME.

  These slaves, whom I have nurtur’d, pamper’d, fed. 
  And swoln with peace, and gorg’d with plenty, till
  They reign themselves—­all monarchs in their mansions. 
  Now swarm forth in rebellion, and demand
  His death, who made their lives a jubilee.—­Byron.

1.  When it was publicly known that Domi’tian[1] was slain, the senate began to load his memory with every reproach.  His statues were commanded to be taken down, and a decree was made, that all his inscriptions should be erased, his name struck out of the registers of fame, and his funeral obsequies omitted. 2.  The people, who now took but little part in the affairs of government, looked on his death with indifference; the soldiers alone, whom he had loaded with favours, and enriched by largesses, sincerely regretted their benefactor.

3.  The senate, therefore, resolved to provide a successor before the army could have an opportunity of taking the appointment upon itself, and Cocce’ius Ner’va was chosen to the empire the same day on which the tyrant was slain. 4.  He is said to have been of an illustrious family in Spain, and above sixty-five years old when he was called to the throne, an elevation which he owed solely to his virtues, moderation, respect to the laws, and the blameless tenor of his life.

5.  The people, long accustomed to tyranny, regarded Nerva’s gentle reign with rapture, and even gave to his imbecility (for his humanity was carried too far for justice) the name of benevolence. 6.  Upon coming to the throne he solemnly swore, that no senator of Rome should be put to death by his command during his reign, though guilty of the most heinous crimes. 7.  This oath he so religiously observed, that when two senators had conspired his death, he used no kind of severity against them; but, sending for them to let them see he was not ignorant of their designs, he carried them with him to the public theatre; there presenting each a dagger, he desired them to strike, assuring them that he should make no resistance. 8.  He had so little regard for money, that when one of his subjects found a large treasure, and wrote to the emperor for instructions how to dispose of it, he received for answer, that he might use it; the finder however replying, that it was a fortune too large for a private person to use, Nerva, admiring his honesty, wrote him word that then he might abuse it.[2]