The Empire. R O 
Pricious cruelty, the doors were set open, and one of the ser¬ 
vants came to inform them, that the emperor gave all the 
company leave to withdraw. 
The predictions of Chaldeans and astrologers, concerning 
his death, gave him most violent apprehensions, and kept 
him in the most tormenting disquietude. As he approached 
towards the end of his reign, he would permit no criminal, 
or prisoner, to be brought into his presence, till they were 
bound in such a manner as to be incapable of injuring him; 
and he generally secured their chains in his own hands. 
His jealousies increased to that degree, that he ordered the 
gallery in which he walked to be set round with a pellucid 
stone, which served as a mirror to reflect the persons of all 
such as approached him from behind. Every omen and pro¬ 
digy gave him fresh anxiety. 
But a period was soon to be put to this monster’s cruelty. 
Among the number of those whom he at once caressed and 
suspected, was his wife Domitia, whom he had taken from 
/Elius Lama, her former husband. This woman, however, 
was become obnoxious to him, for having placed her affec¬ 
tions upon one Paris, a player ; and he resolved to dispatch 
her, with several others that he either hated or suspected. It 
was the tyrant’s method to put down the names of all such as 
he intended to destroy in his tablets, which he kept about him 
with great circumspection. Domitia, fortunately happening 
to get a sight of them, was struck at finding her own name in 
the catalogue of those fated to destruction. She showed the 
fatal list to Norbanus and Petronius, prsefects of the praetorian 
bands, who found themselves set down; as likewise to 
Stephanus, the comptroller of the household, who came into 
the conspiracy with alacrity. Parthenius also, the chief cham¬ 
berlain, was of the number. These, after many consultations, 
determined on the first opportunity to put their design in 
execution; and at length fixed on the 18th day of September 
for the completion of their attempt. Domitian was in some 
measure apprehensive of that day; in consequence of a pre¬ 
diction, and as he had been ever timorous, so he was now 
more particularly upon his guard. He had some time before 
secluded himself in the most secret recesses of his palace; 
and at midnight was so affrighted as to leap out of his bed, 
inquiring of his attendants what hour of the night it was. 
Upon their falsely assuring him that it was an hour laterthan 
that which he was taught to apprehend, quite transported, 
as if all danger was past, he prepared to go to the bath. Just 
then, Parthenius his chamberlain came to inform him that 
Stephanus the comptroller of his household required to speak 
to him upon an affair of the utmost importance. The em¬ 
peror having given orders that his attendants should retire, 
Stephanus entered with his hand in a scarf, which he had 
worn thus for some days, the better to conceal a dagger, as 
none were permitted to approach the emperor except un¬ 
armed.—He began by giving information of a pretended 
conspiracy, and exhibited a paper in which the particulars 
were specified. While Domitian was reading the contents 
with eager curiosity, Stephanus drew his dagger, and 
struck him in the groin. The wound not being mortal, 
Domitian caught hold of the assassin, and threw him upon 
the ground, calling out for assistance. But Parthenius, with 
his freedman, a gladiator, and two subaltern officers, now 
coming in, ran all furiously upon the emperor, and dispatched 
him with many wounds. In the mean time, some of the 
officers of the guard being alarmed, came to his assistance, 
but too late to save him ; however, they slew Stephanus on 
the spot. 
When it was publicly known that Domitian was slain, the 
joy of the senate was so great, that being assembled with the 
utmost haste, they 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 omitted. The people, who no%v took 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. 
Vol. XXII. No. 1500. 
M E. The Empire. 273 
The senate, therefore, resolved to provide a successor before 
the army could have an opportunity of taking the 
appointment upon themselves: and Cocceius Nerva was 
chosen to the empire the very day on which the tyrant was 
slain. 
Nerva was of an illustrious family; as most say, by birth a 
Spaniard, and about 65 years old when he was called to the 
throne. He was, at that time, the most remarkable man in 
Rome, for his virtues, moderation, and respect to the laws; 
and he owed his exaltation to the blameless conduct of his 
former life. When the senate went to pay him their sub¬ 
missions, he received them with his accustomed humility; 
while Arius Antonius, his most intimate friend, having em¬ 
braced him with great familiarity, congratulated him on his 
accession to the empire; and indeed no emperor had ever 
shewn himself more worthy of the throne than Nerva; his 
only fault being that he was too indulgent, and often made a 
prey by his insidious courtiers. 
However, an excess of indulgence and humanity were 
faults that Rome could easily pardon, after the cruelties of 
such an emperor as Domitian. Being long accustomed to 
tyranny, she regarded Nerva’s gentle reign with rapture, 
and even gave his imbecility the name of benevolence. Upon 
coming to the throne, he solemnly swore that no senators of 
Rome should be put to death by his command, during his 
reign, though they gave ever so just a cause. He conferred 
great favours, and bestowed large gifts upon his particular 
friends. His liberality was so extensive, that, upon his first 
promotion to the empire, he was constrained to sell his gold 
and silver plate, with his other rich moveables, to enable 
him to continue his liberalities. He released the cities of the 
empire from many severe impositions, which had been laid 
upon them by Vespasian; took off a rigorous tribute, 
which had been laid upon carriages; and restored those to 
their property who had been unjustly dispossessed by 
Domitian. 
During his short reign he made several good laws. He 
particularly prohibited the castration of male children; which 
had been likewise condemned by his predecessor, but not 
wholly removed. He put all those slaves to death who had, 
during the last reign, informed against their masters. He 
permitted no statues to be erected to honour him, and con¬ 
verted into money such of Domitian’s as had been spared by 
the senate. He sold many rich robes, and much of the 
splendid furniture oT the palace, and retrenched several un¬ 
reasonable expenses at court. 
A life of such generosity and mildness was not, however, 
without its enemies. Calpurnius Crassus, with some others, 
formed a dangerous conspiracy to destroy him; but Nerva 
would use no severity: he rested satisfied with banishing 
those who were culpable, though the senate were for inflict¬ 
ing more rigorous punishments. But the most dangerous in¬ 
surrection against his interest was from the praetorian bands; 
who, headed by Casparius Olianus, insisted upon revenging 
the late emperor’s death, whose memory was still dear to 
them from his frequent' liberalities. Nerva, whose kindness 
to good men rendered him still more obnoxious to the vicious, 
did all in his power to stop the progress of this insurrection; 
he presented himself to the mutinous soldiers, and, opening 
his bosom, desired them to strike there, rather than be guilty 
of so much injustice. The soldiers, however, paid no re¬ 
gard to his remonstrances; but seizing upon Petronius and 
Parthenius, slew them in the most ignominious manner. 
Not content with this, they even compelled the emperor 
to approve of their sedition, and to make a speed} to the peo¬ 
ple, in which he thanked the cohorts for their fidelity. So 
disagreeable a constraint upon the emperor’s inclinations 
was, in the end, attended with the most happy effects, as 
it caused the adoption of Trajan to succeed him in the em¬ 
pire. Nerva perceived that in the present turbulent dispo¬ 
sition of the times, he stood in need of an assistant in the 
empire, who might share the fatigues of government and 
contribute to keep the licentious in awe. For this purpose, 
setting aside all his own relations, he fixed upon Ulpius 
4 A Trajan, 
