A 
~ at Rome,and had companion with him in that goverament Z.B/atus,whohad no other reward “ve. 
D 
E 
‘of Plintes Naturall Hiftorte. 583 
and more fumptuots honfe in allRome, than'that wherein Zepidws himfelfe dwelt: but verely 
before five and thirtie yeares were come and gone, there were a hundred houfes and more braver 
than it by many degrees. Now,if ‘aman liftby this reckoning to make an eftimar of the infinite 
maffe of marble, as well in pillars 4s fquare Afhler, the rich and curious pidtures, befides othet 
fumprtuotis furniture;meet indeed for aking which inuft ofnecefiitie be employedina hondred 
fuch houfes, as might not onely compare with that'moft beautifull and gorgeous houfe of €a- 
piles ;buralfo exceed the fame 5as alfo the infinicnumber of other houfesafterwards, even tibtill 
this day, which have gone beyond thofe humdred it {unptuofiries What would he fay; and to 
what an unmeafurable proportion ‘will all this arifé? Certes,it cannotbeedented,bur fire(which 
burneth many aftately pallace)doth fay well to the plucking down of mans pride,znd punifhing 
fuch waftfull fuperfluities; and yet thefe and fuch like examples, will not reforme the abuifés that 
reiga in the world’: neither will chis leffon enter into our heads, That there is ought under heaven 
moreéftaile,mortall,and tranfitorie,than man himfelie.But what dol ftand ton thofe glorions 
edifices when two pallaces onely have furpaffed theiid all in coftlineffé and magnificence: Twice 
in ourtime we have feene the whole pourprife of Rome to be taken up, for to make the pallaces 
of two Emperours,C :Caligulajand Nero : and as fot that of Nero (becaufe theremightbee no- 
thing wanting of fupetfuitie in the higheft degree)hee caufed it to bee all gailded, and called it 
was, [he golden pallace.For why? thofe noble Romanes who were the founders of this our Em- 
piredwelt(no doubt) in fuch glorious and ftately houfes; thofe I meane who went from the very 
plough taile,or els out of their country cabines(where they were found at repaft by the fire fide) 
to manage the warres, to atcheeve brave feats of armes, to conquer mightie nations, and tore- 
turn with victory triumphant into the citie; fuch,] fay,as had not fo much free land in the whole 
world as would ferve for one of the cellais of thefe Prodigals. And here I cannot but thinke with 
my felfe how little in proportion to the magnificent buildings of thefe daies were thofe plots of 
grounds which in old time the whole ftate-gave unto thofeinvincible capraines by publicke de- 
cree for to build theirhoufes upon, and how matty of fuch places would goe to one of thefe in 
ourtime : And yet this was the greateft honour thatthey could devife to beftow upon thofe vali- | 
ant and hardieknights,as it may appeare by *Z alerivs Publicola, the firtt Confull that ever was *pysiiiourck 
in recompence of his gooa fervice to’ the Commonweale,and fo many demerits 3as alfo by his 
brother,who io the fame Confulthip defeated the Samnites twice: where it is worth the noting, 
thatin the parent this braunch went withall, Thar they were allowed to open the gates of their houfes 
auiw.srd,(o as the doves might becaft cathe ftreet fide this was in thofe daies the molt glorious and © 
honourable fhew that fiich mens houfes made, even thofe wito-had triumphed over the enemie: 
Howbeit;as fiumprtiotis in thiskind,aseither C.Caljgala or Nero was, yet {hall they norenjoythe 
glorieof this fame,though you putthem two andtwo together: for I will fhew,that all this pride 
and exceffe of theirs iit building their pallaces (princes though they were & mighty monarchs) 
came behind the privat workes of C42.Scaurw : Whole example in his Zdilethip was of fo ilt 
confequence, as I wot bot whether ever there were any ching thar overthrewfo much all good 
manriers-aad orderly civilitié: in {rch fort,as hard tt isto fay whether 5y//a did'more dammage to’ 
the flate,in having a*fonne in lawforich and mightie,than by the profcription of fo many thou- rien ae 
fand Romane citizens. Andin truth,this Scaurvs when he was: Edile,caufed 4 wonderfull peece! eas alee 
of worketo be made,and exceeding all that ever hadbeen knowne wrovghrby mans hatid, mot ther of Seauriss. 
*oriely thole that have been reed for 4 month orfuch athing ‘but even thofe that have ben de- 
fined for petpetuitieand a Theatre it was:the ftage had three lofts one above another, wheteity 
were three hundréd and threefcore columnes of ‘matble;(a ftraunge anda dmirable fightin that 
citie which in'timespaft could not éidure fix fmall pillars of marble; hewed out of the quarrey 
ih mount Hy metttis iti che hovle of a *moft honourable pérford ge,wichout a great reproch/and *z.crajis, 
seboke given unto hin for it;)the bale or nethermett part of the {tage was all of iarble;the mid- 
dle’ A-glafle(an exceffive fuperfluitie;never heard of before or after ;) as for the ippermoft; the 
bourds;plankes,and floores were guilded;; the columnes beneath, were(as Lhavefaid before)foré 
tie fod hiph,wanting twaine: and between thefé columnes(as'l have fhewed before)thereftood 
Of farted and images in braflero the number of three thoufand-The Theatre it felfe was ableto 
receive tourefcore thoufand perfons te fit well, and ateafe.’ Whereas the compafie of Pompeies 
atre (notwithftanding the citti¢’of Rome fo muchehlarged;andmore peopled in his 
Ausphithex 
aces time) | 
ca 
