It is a strange thing to observe， how high a rate great kings and monarchs do set upon this fruit of friendship， whereof we speak： so great， as they purchase it， many times， at the hazard of their own safety and greatness. For princes， in regard of the distance of their fortune from that of their subjects and servants， cannot gather this fruit， except （to make themselves capable thereof） they raise some persons to be， as it were， companions and almost equals to themselves， which many times sorteth to inconvenience. The modern languages give unto such persons the name of favorites， or privadoes； as if it were matter of grace， or conversation. But the Roman name attaineth the true use and cause thereof， naming them participes curarum； for it is that which tieth the knot.And we see plainly that this hath been done， not by weak and passionate princes only， but by the wisest and most politic that ever reigned； who have oftentimes joined to themselves some of their servants； whom both themselves have called friends， and allowed other likewise to call them inthe same manner； using the word which is received between private men.
L. Sylla， when he commanded Rome， raised Pompey （after surnamed the Great） to that height， that Pompey vaunted himself for Sylla's overmatch. For when he had carried the consulship for a friend of his， against the pursuit of Sylla， and that Sylla did a little resent thereat， and began to speak great， Pompey turned upon him again， and in effect bade him be quiet； for that more men adored the sun rising， than the sun setting. With Julius Caesar， Decimus Brutus had obtained that interest as he set him down in his testament， for heir in remainder， after his nephew. And this was the man that had power with him， to draw him forth to his death. For when Caesar would have discharged the senate， in regard of some ill presages， and specially a dream of Calpurnia； this man lifted him gently by the arm out of his chair， telling him he hoped he would not dismiss the senate， till his wife had dreamt a better dream And it seemeth his favor was so great， as Antonius， in a letter which is recited verbatim in one of Cicero's Philippics， calleth him venefica， witch； as if he had enchanted Caesar. Augustus raised Agrippa （though of mean birth） to that height， as when he consulted with Maecenas， about the marriage of his daughter Julia， Maecenas took the liberty to tell him， that he must either marry his daughter to Agrippa， or take away his life； there was no third way， he had made him so great. With Tiberius Caesar， Sejanus had ascended to that height， as they two were termed， and reckoned， as a pair of friends. Tiberius in a letter to him saith，Haec pro amicitia nostra non occultavi； and the whole senate dedicated an altar to Friendship， as to a goddess， in respect of the great dearness of friendship， between them two. The like， or more， was between Septimius Severus and Plautianus 。 For he forced his eldest son to marry the daughter of Plautianus； and would often maintain Plautianus， in doing affronts to his son； and did write also in a letter to the senate， by these words： I love the man so well， as I wish he may over-live me.Now if these princes had been as a Trajan， or a Marcus Aurelius， a man might have thought that this had proceeded of an abundant goodness of nature； but being men so wise， of such strength and severity of mind， and so extreme lovers of themselves， as all these were， it proveth most plainly that they found their own felicity （though as great as ever happened to mortal men） but as an half piece， except they mought have a friend， to make it entire； and yet， which is more， they were princes that had wives， sons， nephews； and yet all these could not supply the comfort of friendship. |
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