The five Cæsars who succeeded immediately to the first twelve, were, in
as high a sense as their office allowed, patriots. Hadrian is perhaps
the first of all whom circumstances permitted to show his patriotism
without fear. It illustrates at one and the same moment a trait in this
emperor's character, and in the Roman habits, that he acquired
much reputation for hardiness by walking bareheaded. "Never, on any
occasion," says one of his memorialists (Dio,) "neither in summer heat
nor in winter's cold, did he cover his head; but, as well in the Celtic
snows as in Egyptian heats, he went about bareheaded." This anecdote
could not fail to win the especial admiration of Isaac Casaubon, who
lived in an age when men believed a hat no less indispensable to the
head, even within doors, than shoes or stockings to the feet. His
astonishment on the occasion is thus expressed: "Tantum est _hæ
aschæsis_:" such and so mighty is the force of habit and daily use. And
then he goes on to ask--"Quis hodie nudum caput radiis solis, aut
omnia perurenti frigori, ausit exponere?" Yet we ourselves, and our
illustrious friend, Christopher North, have walked for twenty years
amongst our British lakes and mountains hatless, and amidst both snow
and rain, such as Romans did not often experience. We were naked, and
yet not ashamed. Nor in this are we altogether singular. But, says
Casaubon, the Romans went farther; for they walked about the streets
of Rome [Footnote: And hence we may the better estimate the trial to a
Roman's feelings in the personal deformity of baldness, connected with
the Roman theory of its cause, for the exposure of it was perpetual.]
bareheaded, and never assumed a hat or a cap, a _petasus_ or a
_galerus_, a Macedonian _causia_, or a _pileus_, whether Thessalian,
Arcadian, or Laconic, unless when they entered upon a journey. Nay, some
there were, as Masinissa and Julius Cæsar, who declined even on such an
occasion to cover their heads. Perhaps in imitation of these celebrated
leaders, Hadrian adopted the same practice, but not with the same
result; for to him, either from age or constitution, this very custom
proved the original occasion of his last illness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account