Before the emperor the anger of Sejanus melted into mild servility.
With customary composure he greeted Tiberius as if nothing whatever had
happened. He locked the cell door, and as he walked towards his office
he said to the emperor: “Truly am I tormented by that wench. She knows
a secret, and even slight bodily punishment cannot unseal her lips.
Verily I shall be compelled to resort to painful torture to learn the
truth.”
“Who is she?”
“I crave thy pardon, O Tiberius, but I will answer thee in my office.”
When they had entered the business room of Sejanus, both seated
themselves at a cedar-wood table, covered with reports and letters.
Sejanus was the first to speak. “Since the death of thy son, I have
already told thee, the friends of Agrippina and Germanicus are
jubilant; for the brothers Nero and Drusus are now regarded as thy
successors. This woman with whom thou didst find me has bought poison.
She is in the employ of Sosia.”
“Sosia, the wife of Caius Silius and the friend of Agrippina?” asked
the emperor, greatly surprised.
“And thine enemy,” added Sejanus.
“What has Sosia done?”
Sejanus took up a tablet and read: “‘Sosia received Agrippina in
her palace three times in four days. Sosia called at the Palatine
to see Agrippina the same number of times on the same days.’ Their
conversations at both places are recorded,” added Sejanus, laying down
the tablet. “Germanicus was extolled. His death, they said, was due to
poisoning by Cneius Piso, acting under thine orders. Sosia has openly
made statements reviling thee.”
“Agrippina is sowing her suspicions in the hearts of her friends. The
harvest will be a large one,” said Tiberius, with a wicked smile.
“Caius Silius, the husband of Sosia, is equally guilty,” continued
Sejanus. “He was a commander, as thou knowest, under Germanicus. He has
won many victories for his country. He boasts too much. Here is his
conversation with Sabinus,” he said, pointing to a tablet.
“Titius Sabinus, the great and wealthy senator, also talks against me?”
gasped the emperor, alarmed.
“O noble Tiberius, these men not only talk against thee, but they are
working against thee.”
“But what of the son of Sabinus? Is he loyal?” asked Tiberius.
“He is ruining himself with dissipation. He frequents the taverns and
consorts with dancing-girls,” replied Sejanus.
“These men are too beloved by the people to be thrust aside,” Tiberius
said, with a significant nod of his head.
“But believe me, O noble Tiberius, in the city there is an undercurrent
of discontent, set in motion by these friends of Agrippina, that, if
not stemmed in time, will break forth into civil war. Already sides
are being taken, and I can prove to thee that there are some who call
themselves ‘partisans of Agrippina.’”
“Art thou sure of the information from Agrippina’s house?”
“Ay, O great Tiberius; her maid faithfully reports every two days. The
servant who spied for us before was caught. Agrippina had him beaten
and cast into the streets. The maid is his sister. We have good reason
to trust her reports.”
“What are thy suggestions against these great men?” asked the emperor.
“Charge them with treason.”
“And Sosia?”
“Accuse her also.”
“Are there others who dare to talk openly against me?”
“Ay; through my spies I have learned of Calpurnius Piso.”
“One of that illustrious and noble family is also mine enemy!”
exclaimed Tiberius.
“Ay; he has openly said he would abandon Rome so as to be free from the
despot and his informers.”
“I have always hated Piso. Are there any more traitors?” bitterly asked
the emperor.
“Here is a list of them,” said Sejanus, handing a scroll to his
master. “Serenus is the most important after Piso. Thinkest thou not,
O Tiberius, that our attack against Sosius and Sabinus will quiet the
others?”
“The others shall be marked men,” was the significant reply of the
emperor.
“If thou hadst the time to read these reports, thou wouldst fear this
seditious movement. These men quickly seek notoriety amongst the people
by slyly whispering words of sympathy for Agrippina and her children.”
“Sympathy for the she-wolf and her cubs,” cried the emperor, “while the
emperor receives condemnation? For what? Is not the country prosperous?
Are not the poor fed? What does Agrippina wish? Of a truth, O vigilant
Sejanus, is sedition spreading in the city?”
“Ay, more! I have learned that Agrippina is encouraging her sons to
form alliances with the legions.”
“By Hercules! And through whom?” thundered Tiberius.
“Sabinus.”
“By the infernal deities!” roared Tiberius, as he clutched the arms of
his curule chair. “She is leaguing with the friends of Germanicus? Can
she not wait for my death? What greater honor could she wish than my
bestowing the hand of my granddaughter Julia on her son Nero?”
“She has told Piso that she fears thou wilt poison her.”
Tiberius pounded his hand on the table as he said in his drawling tone:
“Is that why she refuses to eat when she attends my dinners? Ah! she
fears me!”
“Nay, she fears no one,” said Sejanus, recalling his conversation with
her. “She distrusts thee and thy friends.”
“She insults me with her imperiousness. Her cousin, Claudia Pulchra, is
also insolent.”
“Cannot the pride of Agrippina be broken by an attack on her dearest
relation, Claudia?”
“Claudia is a model of purity,” said Tiberius.
“Models of purity can be easily remodelled,” sneered Sejanus.
“What wouldst thou do?” asked the emperor. “No one would take a case
against her.”
“Domitius Afer, an orator, comes highly recommended,” suggested
Sejanus. “He is young and has his honors to gain. Give him the case.
Bribed accusers can easily be obtained. Teach the people, O Tiberius,
teach Agrippina the respect that is due thee.”
“Ay, that will I do. But what shall Claudia’s crime be?”
“Prostitution, adultery, witchcraft, and spells cast upon thee would be
a good charge,” slyly advised the minister.
“Adultery with whom?”
“Some one of your enemies,--Furnius.”
“Furnius, Furnius?” said Tiberius, trying to recall the name. “Ay, he
who writes lampoons against me.”
“Ay, make the people hold their tongues.”
“Charge them both,” was his imperious order.
“Then, O noble Tiberius, Cremutius Cordus, the historian, has written
in his annals praises to Brutus. He has even called Cassius ‘The
last of the Romans.’ Men are daring everything! Is this not a direct
insult against the Divine Julius and the Divine Augustus? Shall annals
be written lauding men who fought for the Roman republic? Let this
stimulation of the republican idea once course through the veins of
the people and the emperor falls, and with his fall the empire will
crumble.”
“Who has told thee this?”
“My agents are everywhere.”
“Truly, O faithful minister, thine eyes never close. Duty has become
incarnate in thee. Charge the historian Cordus with his crime. All
thoughts of the republic must be stifled. Ah! even the Senate begins to
act with freedom. But the attacks against Sosius and Sabinus will quiet
that body. Behind their servile flattery, which I abhor, there lurks
bitter hatred of me. Oh! verily must I leave Rome and its people! Not a
moment of peace is found here.”
“Ay, O worthy Tiberius, the hurry of business in the city, the
conflux of suitors in the palace, and the suspicions of treachery
everywhere,--all these things burden thee too heavily. Art thou still
inclined to go to Capri?”
“Ay; near the shores of the Bay of Neapolis I shall surely find rest
and comfort.”
“In retirement and quiet, O Tiberius, the greatest facilities will be
afforded for deliberation on important matters. At Capri thou wilt be
safe from the importunities of office-seekers and from the intrigues of
the dissatisfied.”
“Send to Capri! Have prepared for my reception the palace where the
Divine Augustus spent his last days!” said the emperor, as he rose
to depart. “Order plans to be made for a new palace to be placed on
the higher inaccessible cliffs. Ay, though eleven palaces are already
there, one is lacking to complete the number of the divinities. Have
prepared plans for a palace that will outrival all the others. This new
one we will call the Villa Jovis. Fare thee well, O honest minister!”
“Happy omens be thy speed, O mighty emperor!”