184
CALIdULA.
father, whence the history of his childhood is connected with
the countries of the Rhine and Moselle. After the death of
his father he lived under the control of his adoptive grand-
father Tiberius, who still preserved his intellect in the midst of
his vices, and recognised in Caius at an early age the monster
he really was. If there is anything to be said in his excuse,
it is this : he could not conceal from himself that his life was
threatened from his childhood, and it may be that constant
fear and anxiety made him mad. This madness, however, was
manifested in so malignant and execrable a manner, that the
infamy of his nature cannot be doubted. In the lifetime of
Tiberius, Caligula maintained himself by the greatest servility
towards the emperor and every one else who was in possession
of power and influence ; this was, under the circumstances, the
most prudent conduct he could pursue, and he managed things
skilfully. Afterwards he formed a close alliance with Macro,
and in Conjunctionwith him, got rid of the aged Tiberius. Until
then the public had seen little of him. He was a Iiandsomeyoung
man, resembling his father, and in the bloom of life, for he was
now only in his twenty-fifth year. His beauty may still be seen
in his statutes. The resemblance of his features to those of
his father, and the recollection of the noble character of the
latter, procured him an enthusiastic welcome on his accession.
His surname, Caligula, is one which I use as repugnantly as
that of Caracalla ; for no ancient writer, at least no contempo-
rary, applied the name of Caracalla to M. Aurelius Antoninus
Bassianus, the son of L. Septimius Severus. Itis, like Caligula,
a vulgar name. Caius Caesar was called Caligula in his youth
by the soldiers; but the name is unworthy to be used in
history.
Those who had come in close contact with him, at the court
of Tiberius, had discovered in him a monstrous wickedness and
dissimulation; but their number was very small; and his first
actions after his accession were of such a kind, that the public
was led to expect much good of him, so that the jOyfulness at
Rome and throughout the empire was really tumultuous. How
long this lasted, is unknown. Suetonius is very minute in his
account of Caligula, but he is an unantique writer, and delights
in anecdotes and details ; he has neither a general survey of his
subject, nor the power of drawing up or following a definite
plan. Hence his biographies are irregular and diffuse, and
MADNESS OF CALIGULA.
185
contain frequent repetitions. But although. he is a bad writer,
he is a man of sense, who one can see wrote at a time when
the classical form of written compositions was neglected or un-
known. But I will not say more : suffice it to state, that
Caligula was a real madman, and that the greatest amount of
human wickedness cannot account for the acts which he com-
mitted; what Goethe’s Faust says OfMephistopheles—
Thou nature’s mockery, born of filth and fire !
may justly be applied to the character of Caligula.2 No one
can take any pleasure in giving a detailed description of his
actions. Some of my friends have expressed the opinion that
Juvenal was an obscene man, on account of what he relates in
his satires; but I do not think so. I believe that he was only
indelicate: he is indignant at what he relates, and does not
take pleasure in it. Suetonius, on the other hand, was un-
doubtedly infected with the vicious character of his age ; for he
evidently likes to dwell upon it. He is himself in doubt as to
whether the wickedness of Caligula was the manifestation of a
diabolical nature, or merely the result of his madness ; but he
mentions one circumstance which is decisive, viz., that he was
scarcely able to sleep at night.3 Christian VII. of Denmark
had the same restlessness: he was often seen during the night
standing at the windows of his palace without any covering,
and was always wandering about. Sleep is intended much more
to preserve the elasticity of the mind, and to be a balm for the
reason of man, than to be a means of strengthening the body.
Now imagine Caligula living in circumstances, none of which
were adapted to exercise any beneficial influence upon his mind ;
if he had been a Christian, religion would have afforded some
means for making an impression upon him; but there was
nothing at Rome that could check his madness.
Rome was under the most complete military despotism. The
soldiers were munificently rewarded; and if the senate or the
people had risen against the tyrant, they would have been
2 About twenty years ago there died a prince, Christian VII. of Denmark, in
whose name the Government was well conducted for a number of years, so that
his madness could do no harm. That prince had no opportunity of shewing his
real character, which was the same combination of obscenity and cruelty as that
of Caligula; and if he had lived in different circumstances, he would have acted
like him. Such men are occasionally met with among the eastern princes, as
among the Turks and Persians, but especially among the Tartars.—N.
3 Sueton. Calig. 50.