No More Learning

LEPIDUS.
lle pos-
COIN OF M. LEPIDUS, THE TRIUMVIR.
on the 31st of December, Lepidus celebrated a he was exposed, did not shorten his life, for te
triumph as a consequence of the supplicatio which survived till B. c. 13. Augustus succeeded him
the senate had voted a year previously.
as pontifex maximus.
In B. c. 42 Lepidus remained in Rome as consul ; Lepidus was one of those men who have no de
and in the fresh division of the provinces, made cided character, and who are incapable of commit-
between Octavian and Antony, after the battle of ting great crimes for the same reason that they are
Philippi at the close of this year, Lepidus was de- incapable of performing any noble acts.
prived of his provinces, under the pretext of his sessed great wealth, and, like almost all his con-
having had treasonable intercourse with Sex. Pom- temporaries, was little scrupulous about the means
pey; but it was arranged that, in case he should of acquiring it. Neither in war nor in peace did
be proved innocent of the crime laid to his charge, he exhibit any distinguished abilities ; but that he
he should receive Africa as a compensition for the was not so contemptible a character, as he is drawn
provinces taken from him: so soon did Octavian by Drumann, seems pretty certain from the respect
and Antony make him feel that he was their sub- with which he was always treated by that great
ject rather than their equal. The triumvirs were judge of men, Julius Caesar. It seems clear that
unable to prove anything against Lepidus, but it Lepidus was fond of ease and repose, and it is not
was not till after the Perusinian war in B. c. 40, improbable that he possessed abilities capable of
that Octavian allowed Lepidus to take possession effecting much more than he ever did.
of his province, and he probably would not have Ilis wife was Junia, the sister of the M. Brutus
obtained it even then, had not Octavian been who killed Caesar. (JUNIA, No. 2. )
anxious to attach Lepidus to his interests, in case (The passages of Cicero referring to Lepidus are
of a rupture between himself and Antony. Lepidus given in Orelli, Onom. Tull. vol. ii. pp. 14, 15;
remained in Africa till B. c. 36. On the renewal | Appian, B. C. lib. ii. iii. v. ; Dion Cass. lib. xli-
of the triumvirate in B. C. 37, for another five years, xlix. ; Vell. Pat. ii. 64, 80; Flor. iv. 6, 7; Liv,
Lepidus had been included, though he had now Epit. 119, 120, 129 ; Suet. Octav. 16, 31 ; Sen. de
lost all real power. In the following year, B. c. 36, Clem. i. 10. )
Octavian summoned him to Sicily to assist him in
the war against Sex. Pompey. Lepidus obeyed, but
tired of being treated as a subordinate, he resolved
to make an effort to acquire Sicily for himself and
regain his lost power. He left Africa on the 1st
of July, B. C. 36, and on his arrival in Sicily pro-
ceeded to act on his own account, without consult-
ing Octavian. He first subdued Lilybaeum and
the neighbouring towns, and then marched against
Messana, which he also conquered. The eight
Pompeian legions, which formed the garrison of 18. Scipio, a brother of the two preceding (Nos.
the latter town, joined him, so that his my
16 and 17), and a son of No. 13, must have been
now amounted to twenty legions. Lepidus, there adopted by one of the Scipios. He fell in battle
fore, felt himself strong enough to assume a threaten- in the war of his father against the aristocratical
ing position, and accordingly, on the arrival of party, B. c. 77. (Oros. v. 22. )
Octavian, claimed Sicily for himself, and an equal 19. Paulus AEMILIUS L. F. M. N. LEPIDUS,
share as triumvir in the government of the state. the son of L. Ae. nilius Paullus (No. 16), with
A civil war seemed inevitable. But Lepidus did whom he is frequently confounded. His name is
not possess the confidence of his soldiers; Octavian variously given by the ancient writers Aemilius
found means to seduce them from their allegiance, Paullus, or Paullus Aemilius, or Aemilius Lepidus
and at length, feeling sure of support from a nu- Paullus, but Paullus Aemilius Lepidus seems to be
merous body of them, adopted one day the bold the more correct form. He probably fied with his
resolution of riding into the very camp of Lepidus, father to Brutus, and seems to have been entrusted
and calling upon his troops to save their country by the latter with the defence of Crete; for we find
from a civil war. Although this daring attempt did him after the death of Brutus joining the remnants
not immediately succeed, and Octavian was obliged of the republican party with the Cretan troops, and
to retire with a wound in his breast, yet it had sailing with them into the lonian sea.
He must
eventually the desired effect. Detachment after subsequently have made his peace with the trium-
detachment deserted Lepidus, who found himself virs, as we find him accompanying Octavian in his
at last obliged to surrender to Octavian. All his campaign against Sex. Pompey in Sicily in B. C.
courage now forsook him. He put on mourning, 36. In B. C. 34 he obtained the consulship, but
and threw himself before the knees of Octavian, only as consul suffectus, on the 1st of July, and
begging for his life. This Octavian granted him, dedicated the basilica Aemilia, which had been
but he deprived him of his triumvirate, his army, originally erected by his father (see p. 766], but
and his provinces, and commanded that he should which he had rebuilt. In B. c. 22 he was censor
live at Circeii, under strict surveillance. He allowed with L. Munatius Plancus, with whom he could
him, however, to retain his private fortune, and his not agree, and died while holding this dignity.
dignity of pontifex maximus.
Dion Cassius seems to bave confounded him with
Thus ended the public life of Lepidus. After the his father in saying that the censor had been for-
conspiracy of his son against the life of Augustus merly proscribed ; it is not impossible, however,
at the time of the battle of Actium (see below), that the son may have been proscribed along with
Lepidus was ordered to return to Rome ; and, his father, although no other writer mentions the
though he had not been privy to it, he was treated fact. (Appian, B. C. v. 2; Suet. Octav. 16;
by Augustus with the utmost indignity. Still the Dion Cass. xlix. 42, liv. 2 ; Vell. Pat. ii. 95;
lees of honour and rank, and the insults to which | Propert. iv. 11. 67. )
;


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LEPIDUS.
769
LEPIDUS.
The wife of Paullus Aemilius Lepidus was Cor- of any of the enemies of Octavian, describes Le-
nelia, the daughter of Cornelius Scipio and of pidus as “juvenis forma quam mente melior. "
Scribonia, who was subsequently the wife of Au- Lepidus was married twice: his first wife was
gustus. She was thus the step-daughter of Au- Antonia, the daughter of the triumvir (ANTONIA,
gustus, and her family became still more closely No. 4), and his second Servilin, who put an end to
connected with the imperial house by the marriage her life by swallowing burning coals when the
of one of her sons, L. Aemilius Paullus (No. 22], conspiracy of her husband was discovered. (Vell.
to a daughter of Julia, who was her half-sister, Pat ii. 08 ; Appian, B. C. iv. 50 ; Dion Cass. liv.
being the daughter of Augustus and Scribonin. 15; Suet. Oclar. 19; Liv. Epit. 133; Senec. de
There is an elegy of Propertius (iv. 11), in which Clein. I, De Brer. Vitae, i. 9. )
Cornelia is represented as consoling her husband 21. Q. A EMILIUs Lerinus, consul B. c. 21 with
Paullus on account of her death. She there speaks M. Lollius. (Dion Cass, liv. 6; Hor. Ep. i. 20.
of having died in the consulship of her brother (iv. 28. ) It appears from an inscription quoted under
11. 65), who is supposed to have been the P. Cor- FABRICIUS (Vol. II. p. 132, b), that he and Lollius
nelius Scipio who was consul in B. c. 16. Thus a repaired the Fabrician bridge. The descent of this
contradiction arises between Velleius Paterculus Lepidus is quite uncertain : the conjecture of Dru-
(ii. 95) and Dion Cassius (liv. 2) on the one hand, mann (Gesch. Roms, vol. i. p. 24) that he was a
and Propertius on the other, as the two former son of the triumvir is in itself improbable ; and we
writers say that Paullus died during his censorship. find besides that he is called in inscriptions M'. F. ,
Perhaps, however, the brother of Cornelia may not and not M. F.
have been the consul of B. c. 16, but one of the 22. L. AEMILIUS PAULLUS, the son of Paullus
consuls suffecti, not mentioned in the Fasti. Aemilius Lepidus (No. 19] and Cornelia, married
Paullus had by Cornelia three children, two sons Julia, the grand-daughter of Augustus, being a
and a daughter (Nos. 22, 23, 24), to all of whom daughter of M. Agrippa and Julia, who was the
Propertius alludes. The daughter was born in the daughter of Augustus. Paullus is therefore called
censorship of her father (Propert. iv. 1). 67), and the progener of Augustus.
As Julia, the daughter
if Paullus really died in his censorship there could of Augustus, was the half-sister of Cornelia (see
have been only a very short interval between his above, No. 19), Paullus married his first cousin.
wife's death and his own. The annexed coin pro- He was consul in A. D. I with C. Caesar, his wife's
bably has reference to this Paullus Aemilius Le- brother, and the grandson of Augustus ; but, 110t-
pidus: it has on the obverse the head of Concordia withstanding his close connection with the imperial
with PAVLLVS LEPIDVS CONCORDIA, and on the re family, he nevertheless entered into a conspiracy
verse a trophy with several figures, and the words against Augustus, of the particulars of which we
TER PAVLLVs. The reverse refers to the victory are not informed. (Propert. iv. 11. 03 ; Suet. Oct.
of the celebrated L. Aemilius Paullus over Perseus: 19, 64; Dion Cass. lv. Ind. ) Respecting Julia,
on the right hand of the trophy stands Aemilius the wife of Paullus, see Julia, No. 7.
Paullus himself, and on the left Perseus and his 23. M. AEMILIUS LEPIDUS, the brother of No.
Ter may refer to his triumph lasting 22, was consul A. D. 6 with L. Arruntius. (Propert.
three days, or to his having enjoyed three different iv. 11. 63; Dion Cass. lv. 25. ) Instead of con-
triumphs. (Comp. Eckhel, vol. v. pp. 130, 131. ) spiring against Augustus, like his brother, he seems
always to have lived on the most intimate terms
with him. He was employed by Augustus in the
war against the Dalmatians in a. D. 9. (Vell. Pat.
j. 114, 115; Dion Cass. lvi. 12. ) When Augustus
shortly before his death was speaking of the Roman
nobles, whose abilities would qualify them for the
supreme power, or whose ambition would prompt
them to aspire to it, he described Lepidus as “ capax
Bed aspernans. " (Tac. Ann. i. 13. ) The high estima-
tion in which he was held by Augustus he continued
There is another coin of Paullus Aemilius Le to enjoy even with the jealous and suspicious Tibe-
pidus, with the same obverse as the one given rius; and although he took no part in the fulsome
above, but with the reverse representing the Scri- Batteries which the senate were continually pre-
bonian puteal, which we find on the coins of the senting to the emperor, and used his influence in
Scribonian gens (see Livo), and with the legend the cause of justice, yet such was his prudence,
PVTEAL SCRIBON, LIBO.
This emblem of the that he did not forfeit the favour of Tiberius. The
Scribonia gens was used on account of the wife of praises bestowed upon him by Velleius Paterculus
Paullus being the daughter of Scribonia, who had (l. c. ), which would not of themselves be of much
then become the wife of Augustus, as is stated | value, as this writer always speaks favourably of
above.
the friends of Augustus, are confirmed by the
20. M. AEMILIUS LEPIDUS, the son of the weightier authority of Tacitus, who bears the
triumvir [No. 17) and Junia, formed a conspiracy strongest testimony to the virtues and wisdom of
in B. C. 30, for the purpose of assassinating Octa- Lepidus. (Tac. Ann. iv. 20. )
vian on his return to Rome after the battle of The name of M. Lepidus occurs several times in
Actium ; but Maecenas, who had charge of the Tacitis, and must be carefully distinguished from
city, became acquainted with the plot, seized that of M'. Lepidus (see No. 25), with which it is fre-
Lepidus, without creating any disturbance, and quently confounded, both in the MSS. and editions
sent him to Octavian in the East, who put him to of the historian. M. Lepidus is first mentioned in
death. His father was ignorant of the conspiracy, Tacitus at the accession of Tiberius, A. D. 14, next in
but his mother was privy to it. (Junia, No. 2. A. D. 21, when he declined the proconsulate of
Velleius Paterculus, who never speaks favourably | Africa, and also in the debate in the sonar in the
3D
two sons.
O CONS
SPAVLER
4. 70
RATE
Urt
JOJO104
COIN OF PAULLUS AEMILIUS LEPIDUS.
VOL. II.


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770
LEPORIUS.
LEPREUS.
same year respecting the punishment of C. Lutorius of liis errors, but drew up a solemn recantation
Priscus ; again in A. D. 24; then in A. D. 26, when addressed to Proculus, bishop of Marseilles, and
he was appointed governor of the province of Asia; Cyllinnius, bishop of Aix, while four African pre-
and lastly in A. D. 33, which was the year of his lates bore testimony to the sincerity of his con-
death. (Tac. Ann. i. 13, iii. 35, 50, iv. 20, 56, vi. version, and made intercession on his behalf.
27. ) It was this M. Lepidus who repiired the Although now reinstated in his ecclesiastical privi-
Aemilia Basilica in A. D. 22 (Tac. Ann. iii. 72), leges, Leporius does not seem to have returned to
as is mentioned above. (No. 16. )
his native country ; but laying aside the profession
24. AEMILIA LEPIDA. (LEPIDA, No. 1. ] of a monk, was ordained a presbyter by St. Augus-
25. M. Aemilius Q. F. LEPIDUS, the son ap- tine about A. D. 425, and appears to be the same
parently of No. 21, was consul with T. Suatilius Leporius 80 warmly praised in the discourse De
Taurus in A. D. 11. (Dion Cass. Ivi. 25. ) He must Vita et Moribus Clericorum. We know nothing
be carefully distinguished from his contemporary further regarding his career except that he was still
M. Acmilius Lepidus, with whom he is frequently alive in 430. (Cassianus, de Incarn. i. 4. )
confounded. (See No. 23. ] Though we cannot The work, to which we have alluded above, and
trace the descent of this M'. Lepidus (see No. 21), which is still extant, under the title Libellus
yet among his ancestors on the female side were Emendationis sive Sutisfuctionis ad Episcopos Gul-
L. Sulla and Cn. Pompey. (Tac. Ann. iii. 22. ) liuc, sometimes with the addition, Confessionem
It is perhaps this M'. Lepidus who defended Piso l'idei Catholicae continens de Mysterio Incarnutionis
in A. D. 20; and it was undoubtedly this Lepidus Christi, cum Erroris pristini Detestatione, was heid
who defended his sister later in the same year. in very high estimation among ancient divines, and
(Lepida, No. 2. ] In A. D. 21 he obtained the its author was regarded as one of the firmest bul-
province of Asia, but Sex. Pompey declared in the warks of orthodoxy against the attacks of the
senate that Lepidus ought to be deprived of it, Nestorians. Some scholars in modern times, espe-
because he was indolent, poor, and a disgrace to cially Quesnel, who has written an elaborate dis-
his ancestors, but the senate would not listen to sertation on the subject, have imagined that we
Pompey, maintaining that Lepidus was of an easy ouglit to regard this as a tract composed and dic-
rather than a slothful character, and that the tated by St. Augustine, founding their opinion
manner in which he had lived on his small patri- partly upon the style, partly upon the terms in
mony was to his honour rather than his disgrace. which it is quoted in the acts of the second council
(Tac. Ann. iii. 21, 22, 32. )
of Chalcedon and other early documents, and partly
26. AEMILIA LEPIDA, sister of No. 25. [LE- upon certain expressions in an epistle of Leo the
PIDA, No. 2. ]
Great (clxv. ed. Quesn. ); but their arguments are
27. AEMILIUS LEPIDUS, the son of L. Aemilius far from being conclusive, and the hypothesis is
Paullus (No. 22) and Julia, the granddaughter of generally rejected.
Augustus. He was consequently the great-grandson Fragments of the Libellus were first collected
of Augustus. He was one of the minions of the by Sirmond, from Cassianus, and inserted in his
emperor Caligula, with whom he had the most collection of Gaulish councils, fol. Par. vol. i. p. 52.
shameful connection. So great a favourite was heThe entire work was soon after discovered and
with Caligula, that the latter allowed him to hold published by the same editor in his Opuscula Dog-
the public offices of the state five years before the matica Veterum quinque Scriptorum, 8vo. Par.
legal age, and promised him to make him his suc-1630 ; together with the letter from the African
cessor in the empire. He moreover gave him in bishops in favour of Leporius. It will be found
marriage his favourite sister Drusilla [DRUSILLA, also in the collection of Councils by Labbe, fol.
No. 2], and allowed him to have intercourse with Par. 1671; in Garnier's edition of Marius Mer-
his other sisters, Agrippina and Livilla. But, cator, fol. Par. 1673, tom. i.