The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc. Publius Cornelius Tacitus, The Works of Tacitus, vol. 1 - Gordon’s Discourses, Annals (Books 1-3) [120 AD] The Online Library Of Liberty This E-Book (PDF format) is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, non-profit, educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. 2010 was the 50th anniversary year of the founding of Liberty Fund. It is part of the Online Library of Liberty web site http://oll.libertyfund.org, which was established in 2004 in order to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. To find out more about the author or title, to use the site's powerful search engine, to see other titles in other formats (HTML, facsimile PDF), or to make use of the hundreds of essays, educational aids, and study guides, please visit the OLL web site. This title is also part of the Portable Library of Liberty DVD which contains over 1,000 books and quotes about liberty and power, and is available free of charge upon request. The cuneiform inscription that appears in the logo and serves as a design element in all Liberty Fund books and web sites is the earliest-known written appearance of the word “freedom” (amagi), or “liberty.” It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 B.C. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash, in present day Iraq. To find out more about Liberty Fund, Inc., or the Online Library of Liberty Project, please contact the Director at [email protected]. LIBERTY FUND, INC. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-1684 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Tacitus, vol. 1 - Gordon’s Discourses, Annals (Books 1-3) Edition Used: The Works of Tacitus. In Four Volumes. To which are prefixed, Political Discourses upon that Author by Thomas Gordon. The Second Edition, corrected. (London: T. Woodward and J. Peele, 1737). Vol. 1. Author: Publius Cornelius Tacitus Editor: Thomas Gordon About This Title: The historical works of Tacitus are a history of the period from A.D. 14 to 96 in thirty volumes. Although many of the works were lost (only books 1-5 of the Histories and 1-6 and 11-16 of the Annals survive), enough remains to provide a good sense of Tacitus’s political and moral philosophy. He recognized the necessity for strong rulers but argued that more should be done to manage the succession of power and allow for the ascension of talent. Tacitus asserted that it was the dynastic ambitions of Rome’s PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 2 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/784 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Tacitus, vol. 1 - Gordon’s Discourses, Annals (Books 1-3) many emperors that caused the decline of moral and political life and precluded the possibility of recruiting leaders of real ability. Moreover, the dynastic temptation caused political instability because military force was now required for political change. His works point to the necessity of systematic institutional restraints on power for the preservation of liberty. Gordon’s translation and his lengthy Discourses on Tacitus bring Tacitus’ ideas up to date and apply them to the British state of the early 18th century. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 3 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/784 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Tacitus, vol. 1 - Gordon’s Discourses, Annals (Books 1-3) About Liberty Fund: Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright Information: The text is in the public domain. Fair Use Statement: This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 4 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/784 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Tacitus, vol. 1 - Gordon’s Discourses, Annals (Books 1-3) Table Of Contents To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Walpole, Discourses Upon Tacitus. Discourse I.: Upon the Former English Translations of Tacitus. Sect. I.: Of the Translation By Greenway and Sir H. Savill. Sect. II.: Of the English Translation By Several Hands. Sect. III.: Of the Last Translation of the First Annal. Sect. IV.: Of the Last Translation of the Second Annal. Sect. V.: Of the Last Translation of the Third Annal. Sect. VI.: Of the Last Translation of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Annal. Sect. VII.: Of the Last Translation of the Eleventh Annal. Sect. VIII.: Of the Last Translation of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Annals. Sect. IX.: Of the Last Translation of the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Annals. Discourse II.: Upon Tacitus and His Writings. Sect. I.: The Character of Tacitus. Sect. II.: How Much He Excells In Description and Force. Sect. III.: Further Instances of the Justness of His Genius, and of His Great Thoughts. Sect. IV.: The Morality of Tacitus, and His Spirit Virtuous and Humane. Sect. V.: The Stile of Tacitus, How Pertinent and Happy: His Obscurity, a Charge of the Moderns Only. Sect. VI.: A General Character of His Works. Sect. VII.: Tacitus Vindicated From the Imputation of Deriving Events From Counsels Too Subtle and Malevolent. Sect. VIII.: More Proofs of the Candour and Veracity of Tacitus. Sect. IX.: Mr. Bayle ’ S Unjust Censure of Tacitus; and How Well the Latter Knew and Observed the Laws of History. Sect. X.: An Apology For the Wrong Account By Tacitus Given of the Jews and Christians, and For His Disregard of the Religion Then Received. Sect. XI.: The Foolish Censure of Boccalini and Others Upon Tacitus. Sect. XII.: Of the Several Commentators and Translators of Tacitus. Sect. XIII.: A Conjecture Concerning the Modern Languages, More Largely Concerning the English. Sect. XIV.: A Conjecture Concerning the Present State of the English Tongue, With an Account of the Present Work. Discourse III.: Upon Cæsar the Dictator. Sect. I.: Of Cæsar’s Usurpation, and Why His Name Is Less Odious Than That of Catiline. Sect. II.: Of the Publick Corruption By Cæsar Promoted Or Introduced; With His Bold and Wicked Conduct. Sect. III.: Cæsar Might Have Purified and Reformed the State; But Far Different Were His Intentions. His Art, Good Sense, and Continued Ill Designs. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 5 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/784 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Tacitus, vol. 1 - Gordon’s Discourses, Annals (Books 1-3) Sect. IV.: The Probability of His Waxing More Cruel, Had He Reigned Much Longer. Sect. V.: Cæsar No Lawful Magistrate, But a Public Enemy. Sect. VI.: Of the Share Which Casualties Had, In Raising the Name and Memory of Cæsar. the Judgment of Cicero Concerning Him. Sect. VII.: How Vain It Is to Extol Any Designs of His For the Glory of the Roman People. Sect. VIII.: Of His Death; and the Rashness of Ascribing to Divine Vengeance the Fate of Such As Slew Him. Discourse IV.: Upon Octavius Cæsar, Afterwards Called Augustus. Sect. I.: Of the Base and Impious Arts By Which He Acquired the Empire. Sect. II.: Of the Vindictive Spirit of Octavius, and His Horrid Cruelties. Sect. III.: Of the Treachery, Ingratitude, and Further Cruelties of Octavius. That the Same Were Wanton and Voluntary. Sect. IV.: Of the Popular Arts and Accidents Which Raised the Character of Augustus. Sect. V.: Though Augustus Courted the People, and Particular Senators, He Continued to Depress Public Liberty, and the Senate. Sect. VI.: What Fame He Derived From the Poets and Other Flattering Writers of His Time. Sect. VII.: Of the False Glory Sought and Acquired By Augustus, From the Badness of His Successors. Sect. VIII.: The Character of Augustus. Sect. IX.: Of the Helps and Causes Which Acquired and Preserved the Empire to Augustus. His Great Power and Fortune No Proof of Extraordinary Ability. Discourse V.: Of Governments Free and Arbitrary, More Especially That of the Cæsars. Sect. I.: The Principle of God’s Appointing and Protecting Tyrants, an Absurdity Not Believed By the Romans. Sect. II.: The Reasonableness of Resisting Tyrants Asserted, From the Ends of Government, and the Nature of the Deity. Opinions the Most Impious and Extravagant, Why Taught, and How Easily Swallowed. Sect. III.: The Danger of Slavish Principles to Such As Trust In Them, and the Notorious Insecurity of Lawless Might. Sect. IV.: Princes of Little and Bad Minds, Most Greedy of Power. Princes of Large and Good Minds Chuse to Rule By Law and Limitations. Sect. V.: The Wisdom and Safety of Ruling By Standing Laws, to Prince and People. Sect. VI.: The Condition of Free States, How Preferable to That of Such As Are Not Free. Sect. VII.: The Misery and Insecurity of the Cæsars From Their Overgrown Power. Sect. VIII.: A Representation of the Torments and Horrors Under Which Tiberius Lived. Sect. IX.: The Terrible Operation of Lawless Power Upon the Minds of Princes; and How It Changes Them. Sect. X.: The Wretched Fears Accompanying the Possession of Arbitrary Power, Exemplified In Caligula and Other Roman Emperors. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 6 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/784 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Tacitus, vol. 1 - Gordon’s Discourses, Annals (Books 1-3) Sect. XI.: What It Is That Constitutes the Security and Glory of a Prince; and How a Prince and People Become Estranged From Each Other.