should firmly vanquish a passion which subdued Julius Cæsar, and overwhelmed Mark Antony, even in advanced years, is a view of his conduct which might imply the amiableness of temper and great strength of virtue, but we must look to other motives for his firmness and self command. His conduct with respect to the fair, is the least pure and amiable part of his character. In youth, when the generous affections commonly prevail, he married Servilia, and loved her tenderly; but when he cast his eye upon power, every thing must yield to ambition; and to secure his political interests, he espoused Claudia the daughter-in-law of M. Antony. During the dissensions which arose between him and Fulvia, when Antony was in Egypt, he repudiated Claudia, and, from political motives, married Scribonia. Her too he divorced; and in the heighth of his power, he indulged in open profligacy; and coveting Livia, he violently procured her from Claud. Tiberius Nero her husband. g His success carried him further than perhaps he intended at the first; but though young at the death of Julius Cæsar, he displayed a deepness of designwhich, in no stage of his fortune, ever forsook him. His principal object was aggrandizement, and to this purpose every thought and every action were bent. He began by professing to avenge the death of Cæsar, but his aim was to sit down in the chair of authority, from which his adoptive father had fallen. Then he pretended to rectify the errors and insubordination of the state, but he intended to subdue all things to himself. He stripped Lepidus of his power in the government; and having resolved to ruin Antony, he declared war against his colleague, under the specious pretext of saving Rome from the power of Cleopatra. Dio Cassius, lib. 46 & 48, and Suet. in August. Vol. I. Dd He was well skilled in turning events and contingencies to his own advantage, but he did not possess those splendid qualities which in better days of the republic would have raised him to renown. He spoke with ease and grace, but had not that commanding eloquence which could have deeply impressed a popular assembly. Having been successful in subduing his enemies, we might be led to consider him as an accomplished general; but his triumphs are not to be ascribed to personal courage, for they rather proceeded from the incidents of fortune, the indiscretion of his foes, and the dexterity of his plans. At Philippi he was sick in the hour of trial; from Sicily he fled at the approach of danger; his personal exertions were not conspicuous at Actium; and in general his courage has been called in question. Whether Augustus was cruel by nature, or whether he sacrificed his feelings to his pursuits, the history of his life does not enable us to determine, but his conduct was less sanguinary as he approached the summit of his ambition. His munificence to the soldiers after the battle of Philippi was great and conspicuous, but it was mingled with severities of a poignant nature. Many of the people were driven from their paternal situations and favourite abodes, that they might be given as possessions to the veteran soldiers who had unconsciously been forging chains for Rome. The severity and woes of those deprivations are strikingly described by Virgil, who, in strains of poetry, represents a female of the flock, as being compelled, in the hurry and perturbation of removing, to leave her newly yeaned twins on the unhospitable rock, and to travel onwards, in all the sorrows of weakness and disappointment. Cremona, near Mantua, was peculiarly distressed; and the poet himself was deprived of his beloved habitation; but the friendship of Mecanas permitted him to return and enjoy on his native farm, the shade and comfort of the broad The discernment of Augustus was pe- h Virg. Eclog. i. See particularly Martyn's edit. ¡Suet. in Aug. 3 |