Caēsărĕōs prŏcĕrēs, īn quōrūm rēgnă sĕcūndīs

cōnsŭlĭbūs dūdūm Rōmānă pŏtēntĭă cēssīt,

āccĭpĕ bīs sēnōs. Sŭă quēmquĕ mŏnōstĭchă sīgnānt,

quōrūm pēr plēnām sĕrĭēm Suētōnĭŭs ōlīm

nōmĭnă rēs gēstās vītāmque ŏbĭtūmquĕ pĕrēgīt.

Prīmūs rēgālēm pătĕfēcīt Iūlĭŭs aūlām

Caēsăr ĕt Aūgūstō nōmēn trānscrīpsĭt ĕt ārcēm.

Prīvīgnūs pōst hūnc rēgnāt Nĕrŏ Claūdĭŭs, ā quō

Caēsār, cōgnōmēn călĭgaē cuī cāstră dĕdērūnt.

Claūdĭŭs hīnc pŏtĭtūr rēgnō. Pōst quēm Nĕrŏ saēvūs

ūltĭmŭs Aēnĕădūm. Pōst hūnc trēs, nēc trĭbŭs ānnīs:

Gālbă sĕnēx, frūstrā sŏcĭō cōnfīsŭs ĭnērtī,

mōllĭs Ŏtho, īnfāmī pēr lūxūm dēgĕnĕr aēvō,

nēc rēgnō dīgnūs nēc mōrtĕ Vĭtēllĭŭs ūt vīr.

Hīs dĕcĭmūs fātōque āccītūs Vēspăsĭānūs

ēt Tĭtŭs īmpĕrĭī fēlīx brĕvĭtātĕ. Sĕcūtūs

frātēr. Quēm cālvūm dīxīt sŭă Rōmă Nĕrōnēm.

Iūlĭŭs, ūt pĕrhĭbēnt, dīvūs trĭĕtērĭdĕ rēgnāt.

Aūgūstūs pōst lūstră dĕcēm sēx prōrŏgăt ānnōs.

Ēt tēr sēptēnīs gĕmĭnōs Nĕrŏ Claūdĭŭs āddīt.

Tērtĭă fīnĭt hĭēms grāssāntĭă tēmpŏră Gāī.

Claūdĭŭs hēbdŏmădām dŭplĭcēm trăhĭt ēt Nĕrŏ dīrūs

tāntūndēm, sūmmaē cōnsūl sēd dēfŭĭt ūnūs.

Gālbă sĕnēx, Ŏthŏ lāscīve ēt fāmōsĕ Vĭtēllī,

tērtĭă vōs Lătĭō rēgnāntēs nēscĭĭt aēstās,

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īmplēt fātālēm dĕcădām sĭbĭ Vēspăsĭānūs.

Tēr dŏmĭnāntĕ Tĭtō cīngīt nŏvă laūrĕă Iānūm.

Quīndĕcĭēs saēvīs pŏtĭtūr tūm frātĕr hăbēnīs.

Iūlĭŭs īntĕrĭīt Caēsār grāssāntĕ sĕnātū.

Āddĭdĭt Aūgūstūm dīvīs mātūră sĕnēctūs.

Sēră sĕnēx Căprĕīs ēxūl Nĕrŏ fātă pĕrēgīt.

Ēxpĕtĭīt poēnās dē Caēsărĕ Chaērĕă mōllīs.

Claūdĭŭs āmbĭgŭō cōnclūsīt fātă vĕnēnō.

Mātrīcīdă Nĕrō prŏprĭī vīm pērtŭlĭt ēnsīs.

Gālbă sĕnēx pĕrĭīt, saēvō prōstrātŭs Ŏthōnĕ.

Mōx Ŏthŏ fāmōsūs, clārā sēt mōrtĕ pŏtītūs.

Prōdĭgă sūccēdūnt pĕrĭmēndī scēptră Vĭtēllī.

Laūdātum īmpĕrĭūm, mōrs lēnīs Vēspăsĭānō.

Āt Tĭtŭs, ōrbĭs ămōr, răpĭtūr flōrēntĭbŭs ānnīs.

Sēră grăvēm pĕrĭmūnt, sēt iūstă pĭācŭlă frātrēm.

Nūnc ēt praēdīctōs ēt rēgnī sōrtĕ sĕquēntēs

ēxpĕdĭām, sĕrĭēs ‖ quōs tĕnĕt īmpĕrĭī.

Īncĭpĭam āb dīvō pērcūrrāmque ōrdĭnĕ cūnctōs,

nōvī Rōmānaē ‖ quōs mĕmŏr hīstŏrĭaē.

Īmpĕrĭūm, bīnīs fŭĕrāt sōlēmnĕ quŏd ōlīm

cōnsŭlĭbūs, Caēsār ‖ Iūlĭŭs ōptĭnŭīt.

Sēt brĕvĭ iūs rēgnī, sōlā trĭĕtērĭdĕ gēstūm:

pērcŭlĭt ārmātaē ‖ fāctĭŏ saēvă tŏgaē.

Ūltōr sūccēssōrquĕ dĕhīnc Ōctāvĭŭs, īdēm

Caēsăr ĕt Aūgūstī ‖ nōmĭnĕ nōbĭlĭōr.

Lōngaēva ēt nūmquām dŭbĭīs vĭŏlātă pŏtēstās

īn tērrīs pŏsĭtūm ‖ crēdĭdĭt ēssĕ dĕūm.

Praēnōmēn Tĭbĕrī nānctūs Nĕrŏ prīmă iŭvēntaē

tēmpŏră laūdātō ‖ gēssĭt ĭn īmpĕrĭō.

Frūstră dĕhīnc sōlō Căprĕārūm claūsŭs ĭn āntrō

quaē prōdīt vĭtĭīs, ‖ crēdĭt ŏpērtă lŏcīs.

Pōst hūnc cāstrēnsīs călĭgaē cōgnōmĭnĕ Caēsār

sūccēssīt saēvō ‖ saēvĭŏr īngĕnĭō,

caēdĭbŭs īncēstīsquĕ dĕhīnc măcŭlōsŭs ĕt ōmnī

crīmĭnĕ pōllūtūm ‖ quī sŭpĕrāvĭt ăvūm.

Claūdĭŭs īnrīsaē prīvāto īn tēmpŏrĕ vītaē,

īn rēgnō spĕcĭmēn ‖ prōdĭdĭt īngĕnĭī.

Lībērtīnă tămēn, nūptārum ēt crīmĭnă pāssūs

nōn făcĭēndŏ nŏcēns, ‖ sēt pătĭēndŏ fŭīt.

Aēnĕădūm gĕnĕrīs quī sēxtŭs ĕt ūltĭmŭs hērēs,

pōllŭĭt ēt claūsīt ‖ Iūlĭă sācră Nĕrŏ.

Nōmĭnă quōt pĭĕtās, tŏt hăbēt quŏquĕ crīmĭnă vītaē.

Dīsce ēx Trānquīllō: ‖ sēt mĕmĭnīssĕ pĭgēt.

Aēnĕădūm gĕnĕrīs quī sēxtŭs ĕt ūltĭmŭs hērēs,

pōllŭĭt ēt claūsīt ‖ Iūlĭă sācră Nĕrŏ.

Nōmĭnă quōt pĭĕtās, tŏt hăbēt quŏquĕ crīmĭnă vītaē.

Dīsce ēx Trānquīllō: ‖ sēt mĕmĭnīssĕ pĭgēt.

Aēmŭlă pōllūtō gēstūrūs scēptră Nĕrōnī

ōbrŭĭtūr cĕlĕrī ‖ rāptŭs Ŏtho ēxĭtĭō.

Fīnĕ tămēn laūdāndŭs ĕrīt, quī mōrtĕ dĕcōrā

hōc sōlūm fēcīt ‖ nōbĭlĕ, quōd pĕrĭīt.

Vītaē sōrs, mōrs foēdă tĭbī, nēc dīgnĕ, Vĭtēllī,

quī fĭĕrēs Caēsār: ‖ sīc sĭbĭ fātă plăcēnt.

Ūmbră tămēn brĕvĭs īmpĕrĭī, quĭă praēmĭă rēgnī

saēpe īndīgnŭs ădīt, ‖ nōn nĭsĭ dīgnŭs hăbēt.

Quaērēndi ādtēntūs, mŏdĕrātō cōmmŏdŭs ūsū,

aūgēt nēc rĕprĭmīt ‖ Vēspăsĭānŭs ŏpēs.

Ōlīm quī dŭbĭām prīvāto īn tēmpŏrĕ fāmām,

rārum ălĭīs, prīncēps ‖ trānstŭlĭt īn mĕlĭūs.

Fēlīx īmpĕrĭō, fēlīx brĕvĭtātĕ rĕgēndī,

ēxpērs cīvīlīs ‖ sānguĭnĭs, ōrbĭs ămōr,

ūnūm dīxīstī mŏrĭēns tē crīmĕn hăbērĕ:

sēt nūllī dē tē, ‖ nōn tĭbĭ crēdĭdĭmūs.

Hactenus edideras dominos, gens Flavia, iustos.

Cur duo quae dederant, tertius eripuit?

Vix tanti est habuisse illos, quia dona bonorum

sunt brevia, aeternum, quae nocuere, dolent.

Prōxĭmŭs ēxtīnctō mŏdĕrātūr scēptră tўrānnō

Nērvă sĕnēx, prīncēps ‖ nōmĭnĕ, mēntĕ părēns,

Nūllă vĭrō sŭbŏlēs. Ĭmĭtātŭr ădōptĭŏ prōlēm,

quām lēgīssĕ iŭvāt, ‖ quām gĕnŭīssĕ vĕlīt.

Ādgrĕdĭtūr rĕgĭmēn vĭrĭdī Trāiānŭs ĭn aēvō,

bēllī laūdĕ prĭōr, ‖ cētĕră pātrĭs hăbēns.

Hīc quŏquĕ prōlĕ cărēns sŏcĭāt sĭbĭ sōrtĕ lĕgēndī,

quēm fătĕārĕ bŏnūm, ‖ dīffĭtĕārĕ părēm.

Aēlĭŭs hīnc sŭbĭīt mĕdĭīs praēsīgnĭs ĭn āctīs:

prīncĭpĭa ēt fīnēm ‖ fāmă nŏtāt grăvĭōr.

Ōrbŭs ĕt hīc, cuī iūnctŭs ĕrīt dŏcŭmēntă dătūrūs,

ādscītī quāntūm ‖ praēmĭnĕānt gĕnĭtīs.

Āntōnīnŭs ăbhīnc rĕgĭmēn căpĭt: īllĕ vŏcātū

cōnsūltīsquĕ Pĭūs, ‖ nōmĕn hăbēns mĕrĭtī.

Fīlĭŭs huīc fātō nūllūs, sēt lēgĕ sŭōrūm

ā pătrĭā sūmpsīt, ‖ quī rĕgĕrēt pătrĭām.

Pōst Mārcō tūtēlă dătūr, quī scītă Plătōnīs

flēxĭt ăd īmpĕrĭūm, ‖ pātrĕ Pĭō mĕlĭōr.

Sūccēssōrĕ sŭō mŏrĭēns, sēt prīncĭpĕ prāvō,

hōc sōlō pătrĭaē, ‖ quōd gĕnŭīt, nŏcŭīt.

Cōmmŏdŭs īnsĕquĭtūr pūgnīs măcŭlōsŭs hărēnaē,

Thraēcĭdĭcō prīncēps ‖ bēllă mŏvēns glădĭō,

ēlīsō tāndēm pērsōlvēns gūttŭrĕ poēnās,

crīmĭnĭbūs fāssūs ‖ mātrĭs ădūltĕrĭūm.

Hēlvī, iūdĭcĭo ēt cōnsūltō lēctĕ sĕnātī,

prīncēps dēcrētīs ‖ prōdĭtĕ, nōn stŭdĭīs.

Quōd dŏlŭīt mălĕ fīdă cŏhōrs, ērrōrĕ prŏbātō,

cūrĭă quōd cāstrīs ‖ cēssĕrăt īmpĕrĭō.

Dī bĕnĕ, quōd spŏlĭīs Dĭdĭūs nōn gaūdĕt ŏpīmīs

ēt cĭtŏ pēriūrō ‖ praēmĭa ădēmptă sĕnī.

Tūquĕ, Sĕvērĕ pătēr, tĭtŭlūm ne hōrrēscĕ nŏvāntīs.

Nōn răpĭt īmpĕrĭūm ‖ vīs tŭă, sēd rĕcĭpīt.

Īmpĭgĕr ēgĕlĭdō mŏvĕt ārmă Sĕvērŭs ăb Hīstrō,

ūt pārrīcīdaē ‖ rēgna ădĭmāt Dĭdĭō.

Pūnĭca ŏrīgo īllī, sēt quī vīrtūtĕ prŏbārēt

nōn ōbstārĕ lŏcūm, ‖ cūm vălĕt īngĕnĭūm.

Dīssĭmĭlīs vīrtūtĕ pătri ēt mūltō măgĭs īllī,

cūiŭs ădōptīvō ‖ nōmĭnĕ tē pĕrhĭbēs,

frātrīs mōrtĕ nŏcēns, pūnītūs fīnĕ crŭēntō,

īnrīsū pŏpŭlī ‖ tū, Cărăcāllă, măgīs.

Prīncĭpĭs hīnc cūstōs sūmptūm prō Caēsărĕ fērrūm

vērtĭt ĭn aūctōrēm ‖ caēde Ălăcrīnŭs ĭnērs.

Mōx cūm prōlĕ rŭīt. Grăvĭbūs pūlsārĕ quĕrēllīs

cēssēt pērfĭdĭām: ‖ quaē pătĭtūr, mĕrŭīt.

Tūne ĕtĭam Aūgūstaē sēdīs pĕnĕtrālĭă foēdās,

Āntōnīnōrūm ‖ nōmĭnă fālsă gĕrēns?

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Caesareos proceres, in quorum regna secundis

consulibus dudum Romana potentia cessit,

accipe bis senos. Sua quemque monosticha signant,

quorum per plenam seriem Suetonius olim

nomina res gestas vitamque obitumque peregit.

Primus regalem patefecit Iulius aulam

Caesar et Augusto nomen transcripsit et arcem.

Privignus post hunc regnat Nero Claudius, a quo

Caesar, cognomen caligae cui castra dederunt.

Claudius hinc potitur regno. Post quem Nero saevus

ultimus Aeneadum. Post hunc tres, nec tribus annis:

Galba senex, frustra socio confisus inerti,

mollis Otho, infami per luxum degener aevo,

nec regno dignus nec morte Vitellius ut vir.

His decimus fatoque accitus Vespasianus

et Titus imperii felix brevitate. Secutus

frater. Quem calvum dixit sua Roma Neronem.

Iulius, ut perhibent, divus trieteride regnat.

Augustus post lustra decem sex prorogat annos.

Et ter septenis geminos Nero Claudius addit.

Tertia finit hiems grassantia tempora Gai.

Claudius hebdomadam duplicem trahit et Nero dirus

tantundem, summae consul sed defuit unus.

Galba senex, Otho lascive et famose Vitelli,

tertia vos Latio regnantes nesciit aestas,

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implet fatalem decadam sibi Vespasianus.

Ter dominante Tito cingit nova laurea Ianum.

Quindecies saevis potitur tum frater habenis.

Iulius interiit Caesar grassante senatu.

Addidit Augustum divis matura senectus.

Sera senex Capreis exul Nero fata peregit.

Expetiit poenas de Caesare Chaerea mollis.

Claudius ambiguo conclusit fata veneno.

Matricida Nero proprii vim pertulit ensis.

Galba senex periit, saevo prostratus Othone.

Mox Otho famosus, clara set morte potitus.

Prodiga succedunt perimendi sceptra Vitelli.

Laudatum imperium, mors lenis Vespasiano.

At Titus, orbis amor, rapitur florentibus annis.

Sera gravem perimunt, set iusta piacula fratrem.

Nunc et praedictos et regni sorte sequentes

expediam, series quos tenet imperii.

Incipiam ab divo percurramque ordine cunctos,

novi Romanae quos memor historiae.

Imperium, binis fuerat solemne quod olim

consulibus, Caesar Iulius optinuit.

Set brevi ius regni, sola trieteride gestum:

perculit armatae factio saeva togae.

Ultor successorque dehinc Octavius, idem

Caesar et Augusti nomine nobilior.

Longaeva et numquam dubiis violata potestas

in terris positum credidit esse deum.

Praenomen Tiberi nanctus Nero prima iuventae

tempora laudato gessit in imperio.

Frustra dehinc solo Caprearum clausus in antro

quae prodit vitiis, credit operta locis.

Post hunc castrensis caligae cognomine Caesar

successit saevo saevior ingenio,

caedibus incestisque dehinc maculosus et omni

crimine pollutum qui superavit avum.

Claudius inrisae privato in tempore vitae,

in regno specimen prodidit ingenii.

Libertina tamen, nuptarum et crimina passus

non faciendo nocens, set patiendo fuit.

Aeneadum generis qui sextus et ultimus heres,

polluit et clausit Iulia sacra Nero.

Nomina quot pietas, tot habet quoque crimina vitae.

Disce ex Tranquillo: set meminisse piget.

Spem frustrate senex, privatus sceptra mereri

visus et imperio proditus inferior.

Fama tibi melior iuveni: set iustior ordo est

complacuisse dehinc, displicuisse prius.

Aemula polluto gesturus sceptra Neroni

obruitur celeri raptus Otho exitio.

Fine tamen laudandus erit, qui morte decora

hoc solum fecit nobile, quod periit.

Vitae sors, mors foeda tibi, nec digne, Vitelli,

qui fieres Caesar: sic sibi fata placent.

Umbra tamen brevis imperii, quia praemia regni

saepe indignus adit, non nisi dignus habet.

Quaerendi adtentus, moderato commodus usu,

auget nec reprimit Vespasianus opes.

Olim qui dubiam privato in tempore famam,

rarum aliis, princeps transtulit in melius.

Felix imperio, felix brevitate regendi,

expers civilis sanguinis, orbis amor,

unum dixisti moriens te crimen habere:

set nulli de te, non tibi credidimus.

Hactenus edideras dominos, gens Flavia, iustos.

Cur duo quae dederant, tertius eripuit?

Vix tanti est habuisse illos, quia dona bonorum

sunt brevia, aeternum, quae nocuere, dolent.

Proximus extincto moderatur sceptra tyranno

Nerva senex, princeps nomine, mente parens,

Nulla viro suboles. Imitatur adoptio prolem,

quam legisse iuvat, quam genuisse velit.

Adgreditur regimen viridi Traianus in aevo,

belli laude prior, cetera patris habens.

Hic quoque prole carens sociat sibi sorte legendi,

quem fateare bonum, diffiteare parem.

Aelius hinc subiit mediis praesignis in actis:

principia et finem fama notat gravior.

Orbus et hic, cui iunctus erit documenta daturus,

adsciti quantum praemineant genitis.

Antoninus abhinc regimen capit: ille vocatu

consultisque Pius, nomen habens meriti.

Filius huic fato nullus, set lege suorum

a patria sumpsit, qui regeret patriam.

Post Marco tutela datur, qui scita Platonis

flexit ad imperium, patre Pio melior.

Successore suo moriens, set principe pravo,

hoc solo patriae, quod genuit, nocuit.

Commodus insequitur pugnis maculosus harenae,

Thraecidico princeps bella movens gladio,

eliso tandem persolvens gutture poenas,

criminibus fassus matris adulterium.

Helvi, iudicio et consulto lecte senati,

princeps decretis prodite, non studiis.

Quod doluit male fida cohors, errore probato,

curia quod castris cesserat imperio.

Di bene, quod spoliis Didius non gaudet opimis

et cito periuro praemia adempta seni.

Tuque, Severe pater, titulum ne horresce novantis.

Non rapit imperium vis tua, sed recipit.

Impiger egelido movet arma Severus ab Histro,

ut parricidae regna adimat Didio.

Punica origo illi, set qui virtute probaret

non obstare locum, cum valet ingenium.

Dissimilis virtute patri et multo magis illi,

cuius adoptivo nomine te perhibes,

fratris morte nocens, punitus fine cruento,

inrisu populi tu, Caracalla, magis.

Principis hinc custos sumptum pro Caesare ferrum

vertit in auctorem caede Alacrinus iners.

Mox cum prole ruit. Gravibus pulsare querellis

cesset perfidiam: quae patitur, meruit.

Tune etiam Augustae sedis penetralia foedas,

Antoninorum nomina falsa gerens?

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