OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

447

veins of Calphurnius Piso, y who, by female al- chap.liances, claimed a right of exhibiting, in his x 'house, the images of Crassus and of the greatPompey . z ' His ancestors had been repeatedlydignified with all the honours which the com-monwealth could bestow; and of all the an-cient families of Rome , the Calphurnian alonehad survived the tyranny of the Caesars. Thepersonal qualities of Piso added new lustre tohis race. The usurper Yalens, by whose orderhe was killed, confessed, with deep remorse,that even an enemy ought to have respected thesanctity of Piso; and although he died in armsagainst Gallienus , the senate, with the emper-or’s generous permission, decreed the triumphalornaments to the memoiiy of so virtuous a re-bel *

UL1 * _ The cau-

The lieutenants of Valerian were grateful to se ? ofthci ''

rni i • rebellion.

the father whom they esteemed. they dis-dained to serve the luxurious indolence of hisunworthy son. The throne of the Roman worldwas unsupported by any principle of loyalty;and treason against such a prince might easilybe considered as patriotism to the state. Yet ifwe examine with candour the conduct of these

7 Vos, O Pompilius sanguis ! is Horace’s address to the Pisos . SeeArt. Poet, v, 292, with Dacier’s and Sanadon ’s notes.

1 Tacit. Annal. xv, 48. Hist, i, 15. Iu the former of these pas-sages we may venture to change jmterna into materna. In every ge-neration from Augustus to Alexander Severus, one or more Pisos ap-pear as consuls. A Piso was deemed worthy of the throne byAugustus (Tacit. Annal. i, 13). A second headed a formidable con-spiracy against Nero ; and a third was adopted, and declared Caesar byGalba.

1 Hist. August, p. 195. The senate, in a moment of enthusiasm,stems to have presumed on the approbation of Gallienus .