I caused them to set it on a speare, About the campe to beare it as a show, To put the rest mine enemies in feare; So they before their punishment might know; Great giftes amongste the souldiers I bestow, Wherewith they all in campe, with one assent, To choose mee for their _Cæsar_, were content. 8. But now to hold it fast a worke of skill, [The scepter caught, the same to hold, perdy, Doth aske much arte, and labour aske it will,][1038] _Non minor est virtus, quam quærere, parta tueri_. The hawty seate hath many a greedy eye. The election was mislikte, and in short space, _Vitellius_ sought to vndermine my grace. 9. In armes wee were, and hee mee batayle gaue, First at _Placentia_, where I had the foyle; Fro _Bebriaque_ by force hee nexte mee draue, And did mine army vanquishe quite, and spoyle: There I not able farder to recoyle, Dispayring quite, I wist to flye no way, As _Nero_ erst, with sword my selfe I slay: [Such is the holde whereby false traytours stay. A miroure here of mee behold you may, Which for my pride, a purple price did pay: By bloud who rose, by treason caught decay.] How Avlvs Vitellius Emperour of Rome came to an infortunate end, The yeare of Christ, 71. 1. To treade the staire to state, who takes in hand, And thereon enters first by bribes or bloud; On slippery ground hee cannot firmely stand, Ne fixte is hee, his hold is nothing good, Though he knew erst how firme on ground he stood, And thinke to fixe his seat with better hold; Hee cannot scape yet schotfree vncontrol’d. 2. To see before his face the fall of such As climbe vp so, and cannot yet take heede, But must of force th’imperiall title tuch, Wherein so many doubts of daunger breede: A poynt of peeuishe pride, a rage in deede By blindnesse blunt, a sottishe sweame hee feeles: With ioyes bereapte[1039] when death is hard at heeles. 3. Hence Fortune well tooke name, accounted blind, Because men fortunate vnfitly see; To pleasures sweete and honoures all enclynde, Without respect the most addicted bee, Regarding nought but titles of degree, Whereby mishaps, infortunes of their race, In high prospects of vew can take no place. 4. This blindnesse is not of the eyes alone, But of the minde a dimnesse and a mist; For when they shift to sit in hawty throne, With hope to rule the scepter as they list, Ther’s no regard nor feare of had-I-wist: The present pleasure, glory, wealth, and ioy Bereaues their gaze, the feare of all anoy. 5.