THE Emperor Augustus HIS TWO SPEECHES, IN THE SENATE-HOUSE at ROME; The First addressed to the MARRIED ROMANS, The other to the UNMARRIED.  
Translated out of DION CASSIUS', an Ancient Greek Historian.  
LONDON, Printed for J. B. at the Sign of the Three Pigeons in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1675.   

The Occasion of these Speeches.  
AFter a Civil War (which though it is oft begun upon Religious Pretences, always contributes to the growth of lose Principles) many of the Gentlemen of Rome satisfied the World quickly, how ill they had been educated in the noise of War, when neither Humane nor Divine Laws are heard, Marriage (which was recommended to them by experience of the World) became a subject of their Satyrs; in their pleasures, they would not consult (as their Forefathers did) the conveniencies of humane Society: If they became married men, it was for money; and for money, as ready to become Adulterers: Love, though the most generous of Passions, was nothing else but brutishness; for the old Blades, many of them, in the times of licentiousness, had debauched so many Women, that they durst not trust any; for the Youngmen, they thought a rambling lust the greatest freedom, and had not had sorrow enough to make them wise. The Ladies would not be unadored, but enslave themselves to be called Mistresses, or Keepers of the Liberty to the Gallants. The Council of the Nation begun to be sensible of a retinue of ill consequents that waited on this modish Gallantry; it's like, they thought sometimes of the Health of their People, those Vices infallibly propagating rottenness through a Nation, sometimes of the private felicity of those Delinquents themselves, who in vain were in chase of Humane Happiness, inspite of the Author of Humane Society; but principally, they considered, that in Families were laid the foundations of Kingdoms, and promiscuous Lust would take away,  
First, all the Nobility of Families: Secondly, all Industry; for who would labour for a spurious Issue. Thirdly, there would indeed be left none but the Relations betwixt Master and Servant, with which alone no Philosopher ever thought a Family could be constituted; and without Families, no man could ever frame an Idea of any such thing as a Nation. In the ensuing Speeches will be suggested other things they were not unacquainted with; but the History tells us, That out of their concern for their Country, they made a Law which gave several Immunities, as particularly, Exemption of Taxes, to all that had three Children, and laid several burdens upon them that refused (as they call it) the yoke of Marriage: Against this Law a strong Faction is made by the Roman Equites, or the Young Gentry of Rome. The Emperor Aug. (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Historian) being grieved in his mind, calls before him the whole body of the Gentry; the greatest part of them he finds unmarried, and particularly the two Consuls for that year; this provoked him to two Orations, now extant in the fifty sixth Book of Dion Cassius, p. 573. Edit. Hanoviae, 1606.  

The first Speech to the Married Men.  
Gentlemen,  
I See it, and not without trouble, how small your number; whether I consider the greatness of this City, or this swarm of careless sparks, that would enjoy all the pleasures, but contribute nothing to the security of the place they live in: I hearty thank you that you would withstand this Torrent of Debauchery, I thank you as a public Governor, I thank you as Augustus, you endeavour to secure my Honour, that posterity may not say the ruin of Rome begun in the days of Augustus. Others take the way to leave our Italy a Desert, void of warlike Hands, and obnoxious to every multitude that shall invade it: To such as you, Rome of old owed her valiant People, and thereby her greatness; to the Marriagebed we own those great spirits that put their yoke upon the world, and yet submitted themselves to the yoke of Marriage. These men are dead, and without your example, not only their memory, but the whole Roman name were endangered; men are in this inferior to Spirits, that they must owe to children a vicarious kind of Immortality. Let me turn your eyes from your Fathers, to the Father of us all, the first and most high God; he hath divided humane nature into two Sexes, the Male and Female; he hath hid in our very make and frame a secret sympathy, a natural kindness, nay, a little necessity to join, to contribute to the felicity of each others life. He hath strangely blessed these mutual approaches, with a miracle which astonisheth all Philosophy, for man's original shall last a wonder to the world's end. You (my married friends) have followed the Law of nature, as well as the example of our Predecessors, to whose virtue it is those Youngmen owe their titles and their security too. You glory in being their offspring, may others glory as much in being descended from you; it's a wise care to leave riches behind you, but a wiser, to leave them to some, whom Rome and you may own for Children.  
As for your Ladies, your own experience hath satisfied you, how happy a thing it is, to have a faithful Companion of your life, interested in your Weal or Woe, a maugre of the fruits of your Industry, and with unexpressible affection, a nourisher of the fruits of your body, one that manageth your House to your honour; is pleased when you are merry, attends on you with tenderness in your sickness, in prosperity doubles your happiness by sharing in it, and in adversity takes half of the burden, in youth pleases you, and in old age assists you. Is it not beyond expression, sweet to behold your children, those pledges of your mutual love, those little Models of yourselves, the Epitomes of your souls and bodies, in whom when you are decaying, you flourish and grow young again. What satisfaction is it, when you leave the world, that not a stranger, but a part of yourselves enjoy your substance; that you lose not life (as in a battle) all in a lump, but live when you are dead, in little parcels of yourselves.  
My Friends, I speak at ease to you, as Roman Citizens, by whom the welfare of their Country was never thought a matter fit for Drolery: What Roman of old would not have lost life, much more have crossed his vicious inclinations, for the benefit of Rome? And is it not convenient, nay absolutely necessary, to Marry, if such a name as the Roman must not be extinguished, if there must be any such thing as Roman Armies and Commanders, that Rome abound in Inhabitants, to improve the Land, and serve at Sea, to follow Trades, practise Manufactures, and when Wars come, to fight, and fight with greater resolution, because they have Wives and Children? You therefore, O men, (for you only the Roman Emperor owns by that name) you therefore, O fathers (for you only deserve to wear that title) you I love and honour, and shall place all the marks of my favour upon you; I am sure it's best the riches of Rome should be in your hands, that have young Romans to bestow them on; you have given pledges to your Country of your fidelity, and your concern for her felicity.   

The Second Speech to the Unmarried Gallants, p. 574. AUGUSTUS CAESAR.  
I Am at a stand how to address myself to you; shall I call you Citizens? You have done your part for the ruining of the City; shall I call you men? will you own you deserve the name? Shall I call you Romans? you blush not to take the ready way to blot that name from under Heaven: I confess myself in some confusion, when I consider how ye are endeavouring to frustrate all the designs that I have managed on the most mature deliberation, for the peopling of Rome; I am sorry I have so many to speak to, that are like to bring a multitude to a few. You regard not the care the higher Powers have taken to plant the Roman name, you value not the blood of your Fathers shed to preserve it, and postpone all things to a humour, which one age would confute by sad experience. Were the Commonalty infected with this, as with many other of your Vices, what would become of Rome, nay, of the world of men? You are some of our principal branches, and voluntary barrenness can be none of your glories; the People imitate you, and Posterity may deservedly brand you, if you show them the way to ruin; either all will do as you do, if not, your vicious singularity renders you justly odious; you deserve to be hist off the stage of the world, that will alone act such unbecoming parts; nay, you deserve their rage, that will trample on what is so sacred in the eyes of all men else; but if you find a crowd of followers, the next age will follow your memory with millions of Curses.  
You'll say, it will be no hurt for us to live as we list; so may the Robbers plead, their number is not great; the Serpent in the egg deserves to die: But what is theft, nay, a cluster of the greatest crimes to yours? You are murderers, wilfully smothering the vital flame; you are unnatural to Parents, not perpetuating their name and honour, and all for a Miss, to whom you give for your pleasure, what she spends on others that please her better. You are unjust to the higher Powers, robbing them of their most pleasing offering, a succession of rational creatures to adore them; if your way take, their Temples as well as our Houses will be empty; our Romulus and his followers stole foreign Virgins for their Wives, and you neglect our own. Wives were the cause of, and Wives obtained, made the Peace in the famous Sabine War. Those old things you despise, but so you cast contempt on the actions of your Fathers.  
And for what is this Confusion? Will you profess Chastity as vestal Virgins? then with them you should die if you offend; but I know, none of you live without your Woman, both at bed and board; all this you propose to yourselves, is to range wildly, it's an ungoverned brutishness you plead for, or rather to have liberty to fill the City with jealousy and murders: if these bounds you will not be contained in, Why may not the Thief break over all hedges of the Law, that keep him from your Riches? No man's propriety in his Estate, hath a more rational foundation, than that in his Wife.  
Gentlemen, if my words wound you, think how much deeper your deeds have wounded me; those ancient Laws of Wedlock I found when I first took up this Sceptre, and will as soon suffer that, as them, to fall to the ground. Remember you live in a Society, and are not lawless, and your Obedience I expect to this of all my Laws; enforce not the State to employ your slaves to get children for you, and continue the name of Romans.  
But I blush for you, I have spoke nothing out of hatred to you, but as your Emperor, that would have (you grow good, and) thousands like you. Go home, take Wives, and with joint prayers adore the God of Families, try the ways of virtue, and you'll need no more Speeches from Augustus.    
FINIS.