THE TRANSLATORS TO THE READER
The highest personages have been calumniated
If we will descend to later times, we shall find many the like examples of such kind, or rather unkind, acceptance. The first Roman emperor [C. Caesar, according to Plutarch] did never do a more pleasing deed to the learned, nor more profitable to posterity, for conserving the record of times in true supputation, than when he corrected the calendar, and ordered the year according to the course of the sun; and yet this was imputed to him for novelty, and arrogancy, and procured to him great obloquy. So the first christened emperor [Constantine] (at the leastwise, that openly professed the faith himself, and allowed others to do the like), for strengthening the empire at his great charges, and providing for the church as he did, got for his labour the name "Pupillus," as who would say, a wasteful prince, that had need of a guardian or overseer [Aurel. Victor]. So the best christened emperor [Theodosius], for the love that he bare unto peace, thereby to enrich both himself and his subjects, and because he did not see war but find it, was judged to be no man at arms [Zosimus] (though indeed he excelled in feats of chivalry, and showed so much when he was provoked), and condemned for giving himself to his ease, and to his pleasure. To be short, the most learned emperor of former times [Justinian] (at the least, the greatest politician), what thanks had he for cutting off the superfluities of the laws, and digesting them into some order and method? This, that he hath been blotted by some to be an epitomist — that is, one that extinguished worthy whole volumes, to bring his abridgments into request. This is the measure that hath been rendered to excellent princes in former times, even, Cum bene facerent, male audire — "for their good deeds to be evil spoken of." Neither is there any likelihood that envy and malignity died and were buried with the ancient. No, no, the reproof of Moses taketh hold of most ages: "You are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men" [Num. 32:14]. "What is that that hath been done? that which shall be done, and there is no new thing under the sun," saith the wise man [Eccl. 1:9]; and St. Stephen, "As your fathers did, so do you" [Acts 7:51].