with his colleague as any private citizen might have done. Being left
heir to someone's estate he assisted in carrying out the funeral. Yet
he was so prone to anger that he inflicted blows upon a distinguished
knight, and for this exploit he obtained the surname of Castor. [2] And
he showed himself such a hard drinker that one night, when he was forced
to lend aid with the Pretorians to some people whose property was on
fire, he commanded, at their request for water, to pour it out hot for
them. He was so fond of dancers that this class raised a tumult and would
not be brought to order by the laws which Tiberius had introduced to
apply to them.
[A.D. 16 (_a. u._ 769)]
[-15-] These were the events of that period. Now when Statilius Taurus
was consul with Lucius Libo, Tiberius forbade any man to wear silk
clothing and likewise to use gold ornaments, except for sacred
ceremonies. As some were at a loss to know whether it were forbidden them
also to possess silver ornaments which had some gold inlaid, he wished
to issue some decree about this too, but he refused to let the word
_emblaema_, since it was a Greek term, be inserted in the original
document. Yet he could find no native word that would describe such
inlaid work.
This was the position he took in that matter. Now there was a centurion
who wished to give some evidence before the senate in Greek, and he would
not allow it. Yet he was wont to hear many suits that were argued there
in that language and to investigate many himself. Besides his unusual
behavior in this respect he failed to pass sentence on Lucius Scribonius
Libo, a young noble suspected of revolutionary designs, so long as the
latter was well; but upon his falling sick he had him brought into the
senate in a covered litter (such as the wives of senators use) to be
condemned to death.
A slight delay ensued and Libo committed suicide, whereupon the emperor
passed judgment upon his behavior, though he was dead, gave his money to
the accusers, and had sacrifices voted for his overthrow, not only for
his own sake, but for the sake of Augustus and of the latter's father
Julius, as had occasionally been decreed in past times.
Though he took such action in the case of this man, he administered no
rebuke at all to Vibius Rufus, who used Cæsar's chair (the one on which
the latter was always accustomed to sit and on which he was slain). Rufus
did this regularly, besides having Cicero's wife as his consort, and
prided himself on both achievements, evidently thinking that he would
become an orator by means of the wife or a Cæsar by means of the chair.
For this, as I have stated, he received no censure; indeed, he became
consul.
Tiberius was, moreover, forever in the company of Thrasyllus and made
some use of the mantic art every day, becoming himself so proficient in
the study that when he was once bidden in a dream to give money to a
certain person, he comprehended that a deceitful spirit had been called
up before him and he put the man to death. Likewise, in the case of
all the rest of the astrologers and magicians and those who practiced
divination in any other way whatever, he had the foreigners executed
and banished all such citizens as still at that time after the previous
decree, by which it had been forbidden to engage in any such business in
the City, were accused in court of employing the art.
To such of them as obeyed immunity had been granted. In fact, all the
citizens would have been acquitted even contrary to his wish, had not
a certain tribune prevented it. Here one could catch a glimpse of the
democratic constitution, inasmuch as the senate, approving the course
of Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, overcame Drusus and Tiberius and was itself
subdued by the tribune.
[-16-] These affairs were settled in this way. Certain men who had been
quaestors the previous year were sent out to the provinces, since those
who were quaestors at the time proved too few for them. This was done
again and again, as often as it was found necessary.
Many of the public documents had either perished utterly or had faded
during the lapse of time. Three senators were therefore elected to copy
off what was extant and to look up the rest.--Assistance was given in
several conflagrations not only by Tiberius but also by Livia.
The same year a certain Clemens, who had been a slave of Agrippa and
resembled him to a certain extent, pretended to be he. He went to Gaul
and won the attachment of many there, and later of many in Italy. Finally
he marched upon Rome with the avowed intention of recovering the dominion
of his grandfather. Many of the inhabitants of the city were thrown into
confusion at this, and not a few joined his cause. Tiberius, however, got
him in his hands by a clever device and through the agency of certain
persons who pretended to sympathize with the upstart. Then he tortured
the prisoner in order to learn something about his fellow conspirators,
but when the victim uttered not a word the emperor asked him:" How did
you get to be Agrippa?" And he replied: "In the same way as you got to be
Cæsar."
[A.D. 17 (a. u. 770)]
[-17-] The following year Gaius Cæcilius and Lucius Flaccus received the
title of consuls. And when some brought Tiberius money after the first
of the month, he would not accept it and published a kind of document
regarding this very point, in which he used a word that was not Latin.
After thinking it over by night he sent for all those who had accurate
knowledge of such matters, for he was extremely anxious to have his
diction irreproachable. Thereupon a certain Ateius Capito declared: "Even
if no one has previously used this expression, yet because of you we
shall all enumerate it among the primitive usages," but was interrupted
by one Marcellus,[3] who said: "You, being Cæsar, can extend Roman
government over men, but not over words." And the emperor did the man no
harm for this, in spite of the excessive frankness of his speech.
He had a grudge, however, against Archelaus. the king of Cappadocia,
because the latter had first become his suppliant to the extent of
employing him as advocate when this monarch in the time of Augustus had
been accused by his people, and had subsequently slighted him on the
occasion of a visit to Rhodes, but had paid court to Gaius, who also went
to Asia. Therefore he summoned him on the charge of rebellious behavior
and delivered him up to the votes of the senate. (The king was not only
well stricken in years, but a great sufferer from gout, and was moreover
believed to be demented.) As a matter of fact he had been incommoded
previously by loss of mind to the extent of having a guardian placed over
his domain by Augustus; but at that time he was no longer weak-witted and
was merely feigning, in the hope of saving himself by this expedient
if by no other. He would now have been executed, had not some one in
testifying against him stated that he had once said: "When I get back
home, I will show him what sort of sinews I possess." A shout of laughter
went up at this, for the man was not only unable to stand, but could
not even assume a sitting posture, and so Tiberius gave up his plan of
putting him to death. The condition of the prince was so serious that
he was carried into the senate in a covered litter. For since it was
customary even for men, whenever one of them came there feeling ill, to
be carried in a reclining position, Tiberius took advantage of the method
on this occasion, too. (And the invalid spoke a few words, bending
forward from the litter.) So it was that the life of Archelaus was
temporarily saved, but he died shortly afterward in some other way. After
this Cappadocia reverted to the Romans and was put in charge of a knight.
To the cities in Asia which had been damaged by the earthquake an
ex-prætor was assigned with five lictors. Considerable money therefore
was diverted from the revenues and considerable was given by Tiberius
personally. For whereas he refrained scrupulously from the possessions of
others,--so long at least as he practiced virtue at all,--and would not
even accept the inheritances which were left to him by testators having
relatives, he spent vast sums both upon the cities and upon private
individuals. He would not hear of any honor or praise for these
acts.--Embassies that came from foreign cities or nations he never
dealt with alone, but caused a number of others to participate in the
deliberations, and especially such as had once governed these peoples.
[-18-] Now Germanicus, having acquired a reputation for his campaign
against the Celtae, advanced as far as the ocean, inflicted an
overwhelming defeat upon the barbarians, collected and buried the bones
of those who had fallen under Varus, and won back the military standards.
His wife Julia was not recalled from the banishment to which for
unchastity her father Augustus had condemned her; nay, he even put
her under lock and key till wretchedness and starvation caused her
death.
[A.D. 17 or 18]
The senate urged upon Tiberius the request that the month of November, on
the sixteenth of which he had been born, should be called Tiberius; to
which he responded: "What will you do, if there arise thirteen Cæsars?"
[A.D. 19 (_a. u._ 772)]
Later, when Marcus Junius and Lucius Norbanus came to office, a portent
of some magnitude occurred on the very first day of the month, and it
doubtless had a bearing on the fate of Germanicus. Norbanus the consul
had always been devoted to the trumpet, and as he had practiced
assiduously in this pursuit he wished on this occasion also to play the
instrument just about dawn, when many persons were already near his house
This proceeding threw them all without exception into confusion, just as
if the consul had imparted to them some warlike signal; and they were
also disturbed by the falling of the statue of Janus. Their calm was
further ruffled by an oracle, reputed to be a Sibylline utterance, which
would not fit any other period of the city's history, but pointed to that
very time. It declared:
"After thrice three hundred revolving years have been numbered, Civil
strife shall consume the Romans,--and the Sybaritan Folly." ...
Tiberius denounced these verses as false and made an investigation of all
the books containing any prophecies. Some he rejected as worthless and
others he admitted as genuine.
As there had been a large influx of Jews into Rome and they were
converting many of the native inhabitants to their principles he
expelled the great majority of them.
At the death of Germanicus Tiberius and Livia were thoroughly pleased,
but everybody else was mightily afflicted. He was a man who possessed the
most striking physical beauty and likewise the noblest of spirits. Both
in education and in strength he was conspicuous [and whereas he was the
bravest of the brave against the enemy, he was the mildest of the mild to
his friend. Though as a Cæsar he had extreme power he kept his ambitions
on the same plane as weaker men. He in no wise conducted himself
oppressively toward his subjects] or with jealousy toward Drusus or in
any way to deserve censure toward Tiberius. [In brief, he belonged to the
few men of all time who have neither sinned against the fortune allotted
to them nor been destroyed by it.]
Although on several occasions he might [with the free consent not only
of the soldiers but of the people and senate as well] have obtained the
imperial power, he refused to do so. His death occurred in Antioch as the
result of a plot formed by Piso and Plancina. Bones of men buried in the
house where he dwelt and sheets of lead containing certain curses along
with his name were found while he yet breathed.
[A.D. 20 (_a u._ 773)]
Piso was brought before the senate by Tiberius himself on the charge of
having murdered Germanicus, but succeeded in securing a postponement and
committed suicide.
Germanicus left three sons, whom Augustus in his testament denominated
Cæsars. The eldest of these, Nero, at that time had his name
placed among the number of the iuvenes.
[-19-] Tiberius, who had hitherto been the author of manifold meritorious
works and had made but few errors, now, when he ceased to have a rival in
view, changed to precisely the reverse of his previous conduct, which had
included many excellent deeds. Among other ways in which his rule became
cruel he pushed to the bitter end the trials for maiestas, in cases where
complaint was made against any one for committing any improper act or
uttering any improper speech not only against Augustus but against
Tiberius personally and against his mother.
And towards those suspected of plotting against him he was inexorable.
Tiberius was stern in his chastisement of persons accused of an
offence. He would remark as follows: "Nobody willingly submits to
be ruled, but a man is driven into it reluctantly. Not only do subjects
like to refuse obedience, but, more than that, they enjoy plotting
against their rulers. And he would accept accusers indiscriminately: a
slave might denounce a master or a son a father.
Indeed, by indicating to certain persons his wish for the death of
certain others he brought about the destruction of the latter through
the medium of the former, and there was no secrecy about these
transactions.
Not only were slaves tortured to make them testify against their own
masters, but freedmen and citizens as well. Such as accused or offered
testimony against persons divided by lot the property of those convicted
and received in addition both offices and honors. In the case of many he
took care to ascertain the day and the hour that they had been born and
on the basis of their character and fortune thus investigated would
put them to death. If he discovered any qualities of haughtiness and
aspiration to power in any one, he despatched him whether or no. Yet so
much did he investigate and understand what was fated for each of the
prominent men that on meeting Galba (subsequently emperor), when the
latter had betrothed a wife, he remarked: "You also shall taste of the
sovereignty." He spared him, as I conjecture, because this was settled as
his fate; but, as he explained it himself, because Galba would reign only
in old age and long after his death.
[Tiberius also found some pretexts for assassinations. The death of
Germanicus led to the destruction of many others on the ground that they
were pleased at it.]
The man who coöperated with him and helped him in all his undertakings
with the utmost zeal was Lucius Aelius Sejanus, a son of Strabo, and
formerly a favorite of Marcus Gabius Apicius,--that Apicius who so
surpassed all mankind in voluptuous living that when he had once desired
to learn how much he had already spent and how much he still had,
on finding that two hundred and fifty myriads were left him became
grief-stricken, feeling that he was destined to die of hunger, and took
his own life. This Sejanus, accordingly, at one time shared his father's
command of the Pretorians. After his father had been sent to Egypt, and
he obtained entire control, he made the force more compact in many ways,
gathering within one fortification the cohorts, which had been separate
and apart from one another like those of the night guardsmen. In this way
the entire body could receive the orders speedily and they were a source
of terror to all, because they were within one fortification. This was
the man whom Tiberius, because of the similarity of their characters,
took as his helper, elevating him to prætorial honors, which had never
yet been accorded to any of his peers; and he made him his adviser and
assistant in all matters. [In fine, he changed so much after the death
of Germanicus that whereas previously he was highly praised, he now
attracted even greater wonder.]
[A.D.21 (a. u. 774)]
[-20-] When Tiberius began to hold the consular office in company with
Drusus, men immediately began to prophecy destruction for Drusus from
this very circumstance. For there is not a man who was ever consul with
Tiberius that did not meet a violent death, but in the first place there
was Quintilius Varus, and next Gnæus Piso, and then Germanicus himself,
who perished violently and miserably. The emperor was evidently doomed
to cause such ruin throughout his life: Drusus, his colleague at this
time, and Sejanus, who subsequently participated in the office, also
came to grief.
While Tiberius was out of town, Gaius Lutorius Priscus,[4] a knight, who
took great pride in his poetic talents and had composed a notable funeral
oration over Germanicus for which he had received considerable money, was
charged with having composed a poem upon Drusus also, during the latter's
illness. For this he was tried in the senate, condemned and put to death.
Now Tiberius was vexed, not because the man had been punished, but
because the senators had inflicted death upon any one without his
approval. He therefore rebuked them and ordered a decree to be issued to
the effect that no person condemned by them be executed within ten days,
nor the document applying to his case be made public before the same
time. This was to ensure the possibility of his learning their decrees
in advance even while absent and of rendering a final decision on such
matters.
[A.D. 22 (_a. u._ 775)]
[-21-] After this, when his consulship had expired, he came to Rome and
prevented the consuls from acting as advocates to certain persons by
saying: "If I were consul, I should not do this."
One of the prætors was accused of having uttered some impious word or
having committed some impious act against him, whereupon the man left the
senate and taking off his robe of office returned, demanding as a private
citizen to have the complaint lodged at once. At this the emperor showed
great grief and molested him no further.
[A.D. 23 (_a. u._ 776)]
The dancers he drove out of Rome and would allow them no place in which
to practice their profession, because they kept debauching the women and
stirring up tumults.
He honored many men, and numbers of those who died, with statues and
public funerals. A bronze statue of Sejanus was erected in the theatre
during the life of the model. As a result, numerous images of this
minister were made by many persons and many encomiuma were spoken both in
the assembly and in the senate. The consuls themselves, besides the other
prominent citizens, regularly had recourse to his house just at dawn, and
communicated to him both all the private requests that any of them wished
to make of Tiberius and the public business which had to be taken up.
In brief, henceforth nothing of the kind was considered without his
knowledge.
About this time one of the largest porticos in Rome began to lean to one
side and was set upright in a remarkable way by a certain architect
whose name no one knows, because Tiberius, jealous of his wonderful
achievement, would not permit it to be entered in the records. This
architect, accordingly, however he was called after strengthening the
foundations all about, so that they could not move out of position, and
surrounding all the rest of the arcade with thick fleeces and cloths,
ran ropes all over it and through it and by the pushing of many men and
machines brought it once more into its previous position. At the time
Tiberius both admired him and felt envious of him; for the former reason
he honored him with a present of money and for the latter he expelled
him from the city. Later, the exile approached him to make supplication
during the course of which he purposely let fall a crystal goblet, which
fell apart somehow or was broken, and then by passing his hands over
it showed it straightway intact; for this the suppliant hoped to have
obtained pardon, but instead the emperor put him to death.
[-22-] Drusus, son of Tiberius, perished by poison. Sejanus, puffed up
by power and rank, in addition to his other overweening behavior finally
turned against Drusus and once struck him a blow with his fist. As this
gave the assailant reason to fear both Drusus and Tiberius, and inasmuch
as he felt sure that, if he could get the young man out of the way, he
could handle the elder very easily, he administered poison to the former
through the agency of those in attendance upon him and of Drusus's wife,
whom some name Livilla. [5] Sejanus was her paramour.--The guilt was
imputed to Tiberius because he altered none of his accustomed habits
either during the illness of Drusus or at his death and would not allow
others to alter theirs. But the story is not credible. This was his
regular behavior, as a matter of principle, in every case alike,
and furthermore he was attached to his son, the only one he had and
legitimate. Those that engineered his death he punished, some at once and
some later. At the time he entered the senate, delivered the appropriate
eulogy over his child, and departed homeward.
Thus perished Sejanus's victim. Tiberius took his way to the
senate-house, where he lamented him publicly, put Nero and Drusus
(children of Germanicus) in charge of the senate, and exposed the body
of Drusus upon the rostra; and Nero, being his son-in-law, pronounced
an eulogy over him. This man's death proved a cause of death to many
persons, who were taxed with being pleased at his demise. Among the
large number of people who lost their lives was Agrippina, together
with her children, the youngest excepted. Sejanus had incensed
Tiberius greatly against her, anticipating that, when she and her
children were disposed of, he might have for his spouse Livia, wife of
Drusus, for whom he entertained a passion, and might wield supreme
power, since no successor would be found for Tiberius. The latter
detested his nephew as a bastard. Many others also did he banish or
destroy for different and ever different causes, for the most part
fictitious.
Tiberius forbade those debarred from fire and water to make any will,--a
custom still observed. Ælius Saturninus he brought before the senate for
trial on the charge of having recited some improper verses about him, and
the culprit having been found guilty was hurled from the Capitol. [-23-]I
might narrate many other such occurrences, if I were to go into all in
detail. But the general statement may suffice that many were slain by him
for such offences. And also this,--that he investigated carefully, case by
case, all the slighting remarks that any persons were accused of uttering
against him and then called himself all the ill names that other men
invented. Even if a person made some statement secretly and to a single
companion, he would publish this too, and actually had it entered on the
official records. Often he falsely added, from his own consciousness of
defects, what no one had even said as really spoken, in order that it
might be thought he had juster cause for his wrath. Consequently it came
to pass that he himself committed against himself all those outrages for
which he was wont to chastise other people on the ground of impiety; and
he likewise became subject to no little ridicule. For, if persons denied
having spoken certain phrases, he, by asserting and taking oath that it
had been said, wronged himself with greater show of reality. For this
reason some suspected that he was bereft of his senses. Yet he was not
generally believed to be insane simply for this behavior. All other
business he managed in a way quite beyond criticism. For instance, he
appointed a guardian over a certain senator that lived licentiously, as
he might have done for a child. Again, he brought Capito, procurator of
Asia, before the senate, and, after charging him with using soldiers and
acting in some other ways as if he had supreme command, he banished him.
In those days officials administering the imperial funds were allowed
to do nothing more than to levy the customary tribute, and they were
compelled, in the case of disputes, to stand trial in the Forum and
according to the laws, on an equal footing with private persons.--So
great were the contrasts in Tiberius's conduct.
[A.D. 24 (_a. u._ 777)]
[-24-] When the ten years of his office had expired, he did not ask any
vote for its resumption, for he had no wish to receive it piecemeal, as
Augustus had done. The decennial festival, however, was held.
[A.D. 25 (_a. u._ 778)]