T. Flavius Vespasianus Augustus (Vespasian) - C. Suetonius Tranquillus
The story has the more interest, as it is one of the examples of
successful imposture, selected by Hume in his Essay on Miracles; with the
reply to which by Paley, in his Evidences of Christianity, most readers
are familiar. The commentators on Suetonius agree with Paley in
considering the whole affair as a juggle between the priests, the
patients, and, probably, the emperor. But what will, perhaps, strike the
reader as most remarkable, is the singular coincidence of the story with
the accounts given of several of the miracles of Christ; whence it has
been supposed, that the scene was planned in imitation of them. It did
not fall within the scope of Dr. Paley's argument to advert to this; and
our own brief illustration must be strictly confined within the limits of
historical disquisition. Adhering to this principle, we may point out
that if the idea of plagiarism be accepted, it receives some confirmation
from the incident related by our author in a preceding paragraph,
forming, it may be considered, another scene of the same drama, where we
find Basilides appearing to Vespasian in the temple of Serapis, under
circumstances which cannot fail to remind us of Christ's suddenly
standing in the midst of his disciples, "when the doors were shut." This
incident, also, has very much the appearance of a parody on the
evangelical history. But if the striking similarity of the two
narratives be thus accounted for, it is remarkable that while the priests
of Alexandria, or, perhaps, Vespasian himself from his residence in
Judaea, were in possession of such exact details of two of Christ's
miracles--if not of a third striking incident in his history--we should
find not the most distant allusion in the works of such cotemporary
writers as Tacitus and Suetonius, to any one of the still more stupendous
occurrences which had recently taken place in a part of the world with
which the Romans had now very intimate relations. The character of these
authors induces us to hesitate in adopting the notion, that either
contempt or disbelief would have led them to pass over such events, as
altogether unworthy of notice; and the only other inference from their
silence is, that they had never heard of them. But as this can scarcely
be reconciled with the plagiarism attributed to Vespasian or the Egyptian
priests, it is safer to conclude that the coincidence, however singular,
was merely fortuitous. It may be added that Spartianus, who wrote the
lives of Adrian and succeeding emperors, gives an account of a similar
miracle performed by that prince in healing a blind man.
[749] A.U.C. 823-833, excepting 826 and 831.
[750] The temple of Peace, erected A.D. 71, on the conclusion of the
wars with the Germans and the Jews, was the largest temple in Rome.
Vespasian and Titus deposited in it the sacred vessels and other spoils
which were carried in their triumph after the conquest of Jerusalem.
They were consumed, and the temple much damaged, if not destroyed, by
fire, towards the end of the reign of Commodus, in the year 191. It
stood in the Forum, where some ruins on a prodigious scale, still
remaining, were traditionally considered to be those of the Temple of
Peace, until Piranesi contended that they are part of Nero's Golden
House. Others suppose that they are the remains of a Basilica. A
beautiful fluted Corinthian column, forty-seven feet high, which was
removed from this spot, and now stands before the church of S. Maria
Maggiore, gives a great idea of the splendour of the original structure.
[751] This temple, converted into a Christian church by pope Simplicius,
who flourished, A.D. 464-483, preserves much of its ancient character.
It is now, called San Stefano in Rotondo, from its circular form; the
thirty-four pillars, with arches springing from one to the other and
intended to support the cupola, still remaining to prove its former
magnificence.
[752] This amphitheatre is the famous Colosseum begun by Trajan, and
finished by Titus. It is needless to go into details respecting a
building the gigantic ruins of which are so well known.
[753] Hercules is said, after conquering Geryon in Spain, to have come
into this part of Italy. One of his companions, the supposed founder of
Reate, may have had the name of Flavus.
[754] Vespasian and his son Titus had a joint triumph for the conquest
of Judaea, which is described at length by Josephus, De Bell. Jud. vii.
16. The coins of Vespasian exhibiting the captive Judaea (Judaea capta),
are probably familiar to the reader. See Harphrey's Coin Collector's
Manual, p. 328.
[755] Demetrius, who was born at Corinth, seems to have been a close
imitator of Diogenes, the founder of the sect. Having come to Rome to
study under Apollonius, he was banished to the islands, with other
philosophers, by Vespasian.
[756] There being no such place as Morbonia, and the supposed name being
derived from morbus, disease, some critics have supposed that Anticyra,
the asylum of the incurables, (see CALIGULA, c. xxix.) is meant; but the
probability is, that the expression used by the imperial chamberlain was
only a courtly version of a phrase not very commonly adopted in the
present day.
[757] Helvidius Priscus, a person of some celebrity as a philosopher and
public man, is mentioned by Tacitus, Xiphilinus, and Arrian.
[758] Cicero speaks in strong terms of the sordidness of retail trade--
Off. i. 24.
[759] The sesterce being worth about two-pence half-penny of English
money, the salary of a Roman senator was, in round numbers, five thousand
pounds a year; and that of a professor, as stated in the succeeding
chapter, one thousand pounds. From this scale, similar calculations may
easily be made of the sums occurring in Suetonius's statements from time
to time. There appears to be some mistake in the sum stated in c. xvi.
just before, as the amount seems fabulous, whether it represented the
floating debt, or the annual revenue, of the empire.
[760] See AUGUSTUS, c. xliii. The proscenium of the ancient theatres
was a solid erection of an architectural design, not shifted and varied
as our stage-scenes.
[761] Many eminent writers among the Romans were originally slaves, such
as Terence and Phaedrus; and, still more, artists, physicians and
artificers. Their talents procuring their manumission, they became the
freedmen of their former masters. Vespasian, it appears from Suetonius,
purchased the freedom of some persons of ability belonging to these
classes.
[762] The Coan Venus was the chef-d'oeuvre of Apelles, a native of the
island of Cos, in the Archipelago, who flourished in the time of
Alexander the Great. If it was the original painting which was now
restored, it must have been well preserved.
[763] Probably the colossal statue of Nero (see his Life, c. xxxi.),
afterwards placed in Vespasian's amphitheatre, which derived its name
from it.
[764] The usual argument in all times against the introduction of
machinery.
[765] See AUGUSTUS, c. xxix.
[766] At the men's Saturnalia, a feast held in December attended with
much revelling, the masters waited upon their slaves; and at the women's
Saturnalia, held on the first of March, the women served their female
attendants, by whom also they sent presents to their friends.
[767] Notwithstanding the splendour, and even, in many respects, the
refinement of the imperial court, the language as well as the habits of
the highest classes in Rome seem to have been but too commonly of the
grossest description, and every scholar knows that many of their writers
are not very delicate in their allusions. Apropos of the ludicrous
account given in the text, Martial, on one occasion, uses still plainer
language.
Utere lactucis, et mollibus utere malvis:
Nam faciem durum Phoebe, cacantis habes.--iii. 89.
[768] See c. iii. and note.
[769] Probably the emperor had not entirely worn off, or might even
affect the rustic dialect of his Sabine countrymen; for among the
peasantry the au was still pronounced o, as in plostrum for plaustrum, a
waggon; and in orum for aurum, gold, etc. The emperor's retort was very
happy, Flaurus being derived from a Greek word, which signifies
worthless, while the consular critic's proper name, Florus, was connected
with much more agreeable associations.
[770] Some of the German critics think that the passage bears the sense
of the gratuity having beer given by the lady, and that so parsimonious a
prince as Vespasian was not likely to have paid such a sum as is here
stated for a lady's proffered favours.
[771] The Flavian family had their own tomb. See DOMITIAN, c. v. The
prodigy, therefore, did not concern Vespasian. As to the tomb of the
Julian family, see AUGUSTUS, c. ci.
[772] Alluding to the apotheosis of the emperors.
[773] Cutiliae was a small lake, about three-quarters of a mile from
Reate, now called Lago di Contigliano. It was very deep, and being fed
from springs in the neighbouring hills, the water was exceedingly clear
and cold, so that it was frequented by invalids, who required
invigorating. Vespasian's paternal estates lay in the neighbourhood of
Reate. See chap i.
[774] A.U.C. 832.
[775] Each dynasty lasted twenty-eight years. Claudius and Nero both
reigning fourteen; and, of the Flavius family, Vespasian reigned ten,
Titus three, and Domitian fifteen.