LIFE AND DEATH. 341 



16. Amongst the Roman and Grecian emperors, also the 

 French and Almain, to these our days, which make up the 

 number of well near two hundred princes, there are only 

 four found that lived to eighty years of age ; unto whom 

 we may add the two first emperors, Augustus and Tiberius, 

 whereof the latter fulfilled the seventy and eighth year, the 

 former the seventy and sixth year of his age, and might 

 both perhaps have lived to fourscore, if Livia and Caius 

 had been pleased. Augustus (as was said) lived seventy 

 and six years; a man of moderate disposition, in accom 

 plishing his designs vehement, but otherwise calm and se 

 rene; in meat and drink sober, in venery intemperate, 

 through all his lifetime happy; and who, about the thirtieth 

 year of his life, had a great and dangerous sickness, inso 

 much as they despaired of life in him, whom Antonius 

 Musa, the physician, when other physicians had applied hot 

 medicines, as most agreeable to his disease, on the con 

 trary cured with cold medicines, which perchance might be 

 some help to the prolonging of his life. Tiberius lived to 

 be two years older ; a man with lean chaps, as Augustus 

 was wont to say, for his speech stuck within his jaws, 

 but was weighty. He was bloody, a drinker, and one that 

 took lust into a part of his diet; notwithstanding a great 

 observer of his health, insomuch that he used to say, that 

 he was a fool, that after thirty years of age took advice of 

 a physician. Gordian, the elder, lived eighty years, and 

 yet died a violent death, when he was scarce warm in his 

 empire ; a man of a high spirit, and renowned, learned, and 

 a poet, and constantly happy throughout the whole course 

 of his life, save only that he ended his days by a violent 

 death. Valerian, the emperor, was seventy-six years of age 

 before he was taken prisoner by Sapor, king of Persia. 

 After his captivity he lived seven years in reproaches, and 

 then died a violent death also ; a man of a poor mind, and 

 not valiant, notwithstanding lifted up in his own, and the 

 opinion of men, but falling short in the performance. 

 Anastasius, surnamed Dicorut, lived eighty-eight years; he 

 was of a settled mind, but too abject, and superstitious, and 

 fearful. Anicius Justinianus lived to eighty-three years; 

 a man greedy of glory, performing nothing in his own per 

 son, but in the valour of his captains happy and renowned, 

 uxorious, and not his own man, but suffering others to lead 

 him. Helena, of Britain, mother of Constantine the Great, 

 was fourscore years old ; a woman that intermeddled not in 

 matters of state, neither in her husband s nor son s reign, 

 but devoted herself wholly to religion ; magnanimous, and 



