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Often appears with: counsel and advisers to rulers · diplomacy and embassies · conspiracy and assassination · political legitimacy and consent · naval warfare and sea power · forms of government · faction, party, and civil strife · marriage and betrothal · corruption, patronage, and bribery · ursicinus · trade, markets, and merchants · the position of women
Usually: narrative (9) · detachment (8) · skepticism (5) · betrayal (4) · argument (3) · reflection (3) · deception discovered (3) · censure (3) · indignation (3) · crisis of belief (2)
“He bemoans it, and says he fears more ruin hangs over our heads. My wife tells me she hath bought a gown of 15s. per yard; the same, before her face, my Lady Castlemaine this day bought also.” Samuel Pepys, The Diary of Samuel Pepys · observation
“And though the reasons for which he was sent for were honest, they were not wholly free from underhand motives.” Ammianus Marcellinus, The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus · insight
“we recollected with admiration that expression of Cicero's, uttered by him in accordance with the eternal maxims of truth, which runs in these words:”—” Ammianus Marcellinus, The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus · insight
“And although it is a thing most desirable that one's fortune should always continue in a most flourishing condition; still that general level state of life brings not so much sensation of joy as we feel when, after having been surrounded by disasters or by dangers, fortune returns into a happier condition.” Ammianus Marcellinus, The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus · insight
“Aspire not to public honours, enter not the palaces of kings; thy wealth will set thee above insult, let thy moderation keep thee below envy.” Samuel Johnson, The Works of Samuel Johnson, in Sixteen Volumes. Vol · precept
Pepys notes political tension in Parliament and royal favor, then records visiting Covent Garden coffee-house, examining students at St. Paul’s School, hearing gossip about Charles II’s affairs, and Dutch threats in India affecting English merchants.
business runs high between the Chancellor and my Lord Bristoll against the Parliament; and that my Lord Lauderdale and Cooper open high against the Chancellor; which I am sorry for. 3rd. In Covent Garden to-night, going to fetch my wife, I stopped at the great Coffee-house there, where I never was before: where Dryden the poet (I knew at Cambridge), and all the wits of the town, and Harris the player, and Mr. Hool…
On 23rd-26th Pepys debates war and navy accounts with Sir W. Coventry and Sir G. Carteret, delivers signed letters to Parliament, continues troubled sleep, and observes book losses in St Paul’s churchyard and Court intrigues involving the Duke of York and Castlemaine/Denham.
into the House with his book of accounts under his arme, to present to the House. All night still mightily troubled in my sleep with fire and houses pulling down. 26th. By coach home, calling at Bennet's, our late mercer, who is come into Covent Garden to a fine house looking down upon the Exchange. And I perceive many Londoners every day come. And Mr. Pierce hath let his wife's closet, and the little blind bedch…
He argues that with an England–France–America alliance and less court intrigue, fleets and armies could be reduced, and he proposes cutting England’s peacetime expenditures to about 1.5 million pounds.
taxes. Those days are now past: deception, it is to be hoped, has reaped its last harvest, and better times are in prospect for both countries, and for the world. Taking it for granted that an alliance may be formed between England, France, and America for the purposes hereafter to be mentioned, the national expenses of France and England may consequently be lessened. The same fleets and armies will no longer be nec…
A court intrigue and shifting accusations surround Silvanus, who is recalled and praised as a general, while the emperor’s decisions mix genuine anxiety with motives to destroy rivals and manage succession.
first who introduced the custom of offering reverence to the emperor after this foreign manner and royal pretension; whereas all former princes, as we read, had been saluted like judges. 19. And so the man who a little while before, through the malevolent persecution of certain of the courtiers, had been termed the whirlpool of the East, and who had been accused of a design to aim at the supreme power for his sons, …
Frigeridus is replaced by a count named Maurus, described as cruel and untrustworthy; this removal of a capable commander at a critical time is blamed as worsening the empire’s difficulties.
the palace was expressly committed, while that prince was doubting about accepting the imperial authority, took the chain from his own neck and offered it to him for a diadem. 22. Thus, in the most critical aspect of our difficulties, a cautious and energetic general was removed, when, even if he had previously retired into private life, he ought, from the greatness of the affairs which required his superintendence,…
Burke addresses objections about the King’s difficulty choosing among rival parties, defending the use of crown appointments that avoid faction and maintain the Crown’s independent influence over court intrigue.
* * * * * Cunning men are here apt to break in, and, without directly controverting the principle, to raise objections from the difficulty under which the Sovereign labours to distinguish the genuine voice and sentiments of his people from the clamour of a faction, by which it is so easily counterfeited. The nation, they say, is generally divided into parties, with views and passions utterly irreconcilable. If the…
A moral tale in The Rambler (dated December 11, 1752) tells of Morad, an Indian vizier whose prosperity ends through changing court favor; he warns his son Abouzaid to seek private dignity and avoid public ambition.
voice of truth was overborne by clamour. He was divested of his power, deprived of his acquisitions, and condemned to pass the rest of his life on his hereditary estate. Morad had been so long accustomed to crowds and business, supplicants and flattery, that he knew not how to fill up his hours in solitude; he saw with regret the sun rise to force on his eye a new day for which he had no use; and envied the savage t…
A jealous courtier, Latino Juvenale, falsely insults earlier popes and flatters Paul III, worsening Cellini’s access; Cellini senses vindictive feelings and struggles to obtain audience.
this diamond.” Accordingly he hurried to the Pope and told him the whole story; whereupon his Holiness sent three times on that day to see if the ring was finished. At twenty-three o’clock I took the ring to the palace; and since the doors were always open to me, I lifted the curtain gently, and saw the Pope in private audience with the Marchese del Guasto. [3] The Marquis must have been pressing something on the Po…
Eurycles of Lacedaemon ingratiates himself with Herod’s household, manipulates Alexander by calumnies, then transfers those accusations to Antipater and Herod, helping provoke hatred that escalates into further intrigues.
Father Bound Them, And Wrote To Cæsar About Them. Of Sylleus And How He Was Accused By Nicolaus. 1. The disorders about Herod's family and children about this time grew much worse; for it now appeared certain, nor was it unforeseen before- hand, that fortune threatened the greatest and most insupportable misfortunes possible to his kingdom. Its progress and augmentation at this time arose on the occasion following: …
Saladin, needing money, questions the Jew Melchisedech about which law is true, and Melchisedech answers with the parable of three nearly identical rings so the question stays undecidable, avoiding a trap.
present purpose. But that good sense may be our succour in misfortune, I will now, as I promised, make plain to you within the narrow compass of a little story. Saladin, who by his great valour had from small beginnings made himself Soldan of Egypt, and gained many victories over kings both Christian and Saracen, having in divers wars and by divers lavish displays of magnificence spent all his treasure, and in order…
In Monferrato, the Marquis of Monferrato’s wife uses a banquet of hens to reject the King of France’s unwanted love in his visit while the marquis is overseas as church gonfalonier.
shew you by the story which I am now to tell, how by deed and word a gentlewoman both defended herself against attack, and weaned her suitor from his love. The Marquis of Monferrato, a paladin of distinguished prowess, was gone overseas as gonfalonier of the Church in a general array of the Christian forces. Whose merits being canvassed at the court of Philippe le Borgne, on the eve of his departure from France on t…
In Agilulf’s Lombard court at Pavia, a lowly groom lusts after Queen Theodelinde, plans to “die” for love, and decides the only way is to get into her bedroom by imitating the king.
you in the contrary case, wherein appears the astuteness of one that held, perhaps, an even lower place than would have been Masetto's in the esteem of a doughty king. Agilulf, King of the Lombards, who like his predecessors made the city of Pavia in Lombardy the seat of his government, took to wife Theodelinde, the widow of Authari, likewise King of the Lombards, a lady very fair, wise and virtuous, but who was unfo…
After a peace embassy from Blefuscu, Gulliver seeks license to visit their emperor, but court intrigue—linking him to disaffection—begins with ministers Flimnap and Bolgolam blamed for his suspicion.
like to have ended in my utter destruction. Of so little weight are the greatest services to princes, when put into the balance with a refusal to gratify their passions. About three weeks after this exploit, there arrived a solemn embassy from Blefuscu, with humble offers of a peace, which was soon concluded, upon conditions very advantageous to our emperor, wherewith I shall not trouble the reader. There were six a…
Candaules becomes obsessed with his wife’s beauty and orders his favorite Gyges to look at her naked, but Gyges resists, arguing it is unlawful and that people should only see their own affairs.
an invasion against Clazomenai. From this he ed not as he desired, but with great loss: during his reign however he performed other deeds very worthy of mention as follows:— 17. He made war with those of Miletos, having received this war as an inheritance from his father: for he used to invade their land and besiege Miletos in the following manner:—whenever there were ripe crops upon the land, then he led an army in…
Pliny continues his narrative and states he kept matters open pending Mauricus’ return, concluding that he owes the correspondent a full account of his actions and plans.
thought I owed this account to our mutual friendship, which gives you an undoubted right to know about not only all my actions but all my plans as well. Farewell. IV -- To CORNELIUS TACITUS You will laugh (and you are quite welcome) when I tell you that your old acquaintance is turned sportsman, and has taken three noble boars. "What!" you exclaim, "Pliny!"--Even he. However, I indulged at the same time my beloved …
Bacon advises rulers on managing dangers from neighbors, wives, children, and clergy: keep neighbors from becoming too strong, fear conspiracies by court wives, distrust of sons is often fatal, and watch church power when it depends on outside authority.
or clergy, their nobles, their second-nobles or gentlemen, their merchants, their commons, and their men of war; and from all these arise dangers, if care and circumspection be not used. First for their neighbors; there can no general rule be given (for occasions are so variable), save one, which ever holdeth, which is, that princes do keep due sentinel, that none of their neighbors do ever grow so (by increase of t…
Parmeno expects Gnatho, the captain’s parasite, who brings a beautiful girl (Pamphila) as a present; Gnatho boasts about getting by on feeding at others’ cost, then jokes and bargains for access to Thais.
*Enter GNATHO at a distance, leading PAMPHILA.* GNA. (*to himself.*) Immortal Gods! how much does one man excel another! What a difference there is between a wise person and a fool! This strongly came into my mind from the following circumstance. As I was coming along to-day, I met a certain person of this place, of my own rank and station, no mean fellow, one who, like myself, had guttled away his paternal estate; …