The first acts of Caligula were by no means ill cal culated to encourage this universal attachment. Il•sides shewing a proper regard for the ashes of his mother and brother, \•ho had fallen sacrifices to the jealousy of '1'ibctius, he pretended to burn all the documents which might lead him to a knowledge of those implicated in their condemnation. When a memorial was presented to hint respecting a design on his life, his reply was, " that he was conscious of no action for which he could he hated, and that he was determined to shut his ears against all informers." lIis conduct in other respects was equally flattering. Ageing other popular actions, he banished from the city all the infamous professors of vice, restored valuable privileges to the people, strength ened the authority of the magistrates, was extremely nice as to the qualifications and conduct of the knights, remitted taxes, confem d donations, relieved distress, and, in short, was much too good an emperor to continue so. For all these reasons, :t golden shkld, among other honours, was decreed to him, \Odell was every year to be borne in solemn procession to the capitol, by a com pany of priests, followed by the whole senate ; while the children of the prime nobility. boys and girls, were all to channt in regular cadence the praises of this mighty benefactor.
The Unman people were destined soon to awake from this delusive dream. Whether we are to ascribe his conduct to insanity, to the corruption of the times, or to the genius of despotic authority, one thing is certain, that Caligula disgraced the character of human nature more than any other individual. There is something in un limited power, well calculated to nurse and bring to per fection the caprices of human nature ; and to this cir cumstance we are probably. in a great measure, to ascribe the whimsical beneficence and the wanton barba hies of this and the other tyrants who then governed the world. Subjected to no controul or responsibility by a political constitution, furnished with no motives of fear or ulterior ambition, either in this world or in the next, they were naturally impelled. like the inferior crea tures, by every motion of the animal fluids, and pardon ed, butchered, and oppressed, without any other rea son than the humour of the moment. Absolute princes arc always mad in proportion as they are powerful ; once aboN e the consideration cif law and public opinion, we are prepared for every inconsistency, and every enor mity.
One of the first public crimes of Caligula, was to put to death Gemellus, the unfortunate youth already men tioned. Silanus, too, his father-in-law, Macro and his wife Ennia, and several others, all of them zealous agents in promoting his accession, were rewarded for their services with death. Many were the persons of all ranks who fell victims either to his political jealousy or to his caprice. An exile, who had been banished by
Tiberius, haying, returned, and being asked by Caligula how he had spent his time, the man, by way of flattery, told Nut " that his constant occupation was praying to tliN gods that Tiberius might he destroyed, and Caligula advanced in his room :" upon this, thinking that thou exiled by himself w mild in like manner wish for his de struction, Caligula sent his executioners through I all the islands, to put the whole of them to death. Nis innate love of cruelty exceeds belief. lle nuNcr allowed the executioner to finish criminals by one great blow ; but ordered him to proceed by minute and frequent strokes, that they might feel themselves dying. The slightes• offence, such as omitting to SW car by himself, often pro yoked him to em•emities. It was one luxury of his to compel fathers to 11 itness the execution of their sons , and, on one occas'on, when an apology was sent, he in vited the wretched man to a magnificent banquet, and assuming all the ease and gaiety of which lie was capa ble, entertained him with the utmost merriment and jo cularity. Caligula was frcdpicntly heard to lament, that his times were not distinguished 1w some signal calamity . Sensible that his tyrannical conduct made him an object. of universal detestation, his common maxim was, odcrin. than mctuant, " let them hate me, provided they feat me ;" and once, When the people hissed in disapproba tion of his pursuits, his rage burst out in the horrible wish, that the Homan people had but one neck. w hich he might cut MT at a blow.
The monster sometimes attempted wit in the midst of his butcheries. Some Gauls and Greeks having been condemned together, probably for the sake of the exe crable pun, he boasted that he had done for Gallograecia. A military gentleman hat ing gone for his health to Greece, and petitioned from time to time for a renewal of his leave of absence, the tyrant at last ordered hint to be slain, adding, that as medicine had been of no service to him, blood-letting was absolutely necessary. Even in his most pleasant moods, this tremendous jester thought of nothing but blood. When kissing the neck of his wife or mistress, he frequently remarked, " pretty as this neck is, off it goes the moment I order it." One day at a sumptuous banquet. he suddenly burst out into laughter. upon which the two consuls, who reclined by him, politely ventured to demand II c cause of his im perial merriment. " I was only thinking," replied Cali gula, " how easily, by a single nod, I could assassinate both of you." His jest with .\pelles the tragedian was more serious, whom he ordered to be flogged most un mercifully, that he might hear, in their nati\ e excel lence. the fine tones and inflexions of voice of that actor.