CALIGULA, CAWS CZSAll, the fourth of the Ro man emperors, was the son of Germanic us, the adopted son of Tiberius. Ile was born on the 31st clay of August, in the year of Rome 765, and the twelfth of our xra. Being brought up from his infancy in the camp, his mother Agrippina, an able intriguing woman, wish ing to make him popular, ;dm ays dressed him in the habit of a common F,oldier, or caligatus, so termed from wearing the caliga, or military boot ; from which cir cumstance, Caius was affectionately distinguished among the men by the name of Caligula, or the little private. Soon aftc r the death of his lamented father, whom he had accompanied in the expedition to Syria, Caligula rcturn«I home, and lived with his mother, who, in a short time, incurring the suspicions of Tiberius, was hahi bed by the mate. He then removed to the house of Livia Augusta, at whose funeral obsequies he pro nounced an oration, though yet but a stripling ; and hav ing resided for some time with his grandmother Antonia, he was summoned, in the twentieth year of his age, when he assumed the toga virilis, to attend his grandfa ther Tiberius to Caprxa.
Tiberius seems at first to have had a favourable opi nion of the talents of his grandson, as his principal motive in bringing him forward at this time, was to counter balance the influence of Sejanus, now an object of jealousy to the tyrant. Caligula did every thing in his power to recommend himself to themperor. Not a word escaped his lips respecting the condemnation of his mother, and his two brothers ; his fierce feelings he so carefully suppressed in the presence of Tiberius, that no insult or provocation could rouse him ; and he so effectually studied and assumed the conduct, humours, language, and even tone of voice of the emperor, that it was soon remarked of him, that " never was there a bet te• servant, nor a worse master." His natural disposi tion, however, which was ferocious and base beyond conception, occasionally broke out in spite of all his dissimulation. it was even then observed, that he eagerly attended at all executions and tortures ; muffled up in a long garment, he prowled through the streets at night, and engaged in the lowest debaucheries; whilst proficiency in dancing, fencing, singing, and other ac complishments of the same nature, constituted the sole object of his ambition. So sensible was Tiberius him
self of the depravity of his character, that he often asserted, that Caius lived but to be the destruction of him and all around him, and confessed, that he was rear ing a serpent for the Roman people, and a second Phae ton for the world.
About this period, Caligula was married to Junia Claudilla, or Claudia, daughter of Marcus Silanus, a most respectable senator ; but Junia soon afterwards dying in childbed, he attached himself to Ennia, the wife of Macro the pretorian prefect. This woman he won over to his purposes, under a solemn promise of marrying her on his accession; an event which, accord ing to some, she and her husband materially contributed to accelerate, having, by the directions of Caligula, poisoned the emperor. The real intention of Tiberius with regard to the succession is not well ascertained. Well aware of the monstrous character of Caligula, ho seems to have wished his rejection ; but the memory of Germanicus, and the popularity of Caligula himself with the army, deterred him from any open attempt to exclude him. He therefore bequeathed the empire conjointly to him and his brother Tiberius Gemellus, a young lad of considerable promise. No sooner, however, was the breath out of the emperor, than the senate, instigated by a blind hatred of the old tyrant, immediately cancelled the will, and appointed Caligula their sole master. This melancholy event took place A. D. 37.
The real character of Caligula being hitherto but little understood among the people, his accession was hailed with universal joy. Dining even the funeralpro cession of Tiberius, amid the victims, altars, glaring torches, and other customary demonstrations or woe, the giddy multitude, observing this hopeful favourite in his mourning attire, could not contain their raptures, but greeted him with their blessings and acclamations ; and, in three months after his accession, 160,000 victims are said to have been offered throughout the empire in thanksgiving to the gods. On one occasion when he was indisposed, the people of ionic watched all night round the palace ; many of them, in conformity. to the superstition of the times, engaged to fight in single com bat for his recovery ; and sonic even devoted themselves to death, by a lab( I which they displayed, as substitutes to Pluto for the Ilk: of the emperor.