장음표시 사용
281쪽
TIBERIUS NERO CAESAR. 2673 ading a Written order for that purpose : whicli order, itwas then a dolabi, whether Augustus test bellind him at his death, to prevent any occasion os public disturbance after his decease, or Livia had issued ii, and whether with the knowledge of Tiberius or not. When the Ti ibune Cameto inforrn him that he had executed his commanit, hereplied, I commanded you no such thing, and youmust an siser for it to the Senate avolding, as itfeems, the odium of the adi for that time. For the aias air was buried in sileiace. XXIII. Having summoned the Seraate to meet, by vi tue of his Tribunitian authori ty, and begian a speech tothem relative to the state of public allairs, he setched a deepsigh, as is una ble to support himself under his asdiction; wistied that not only his voice but his breath too might ait him, and gave his speech to his sola Drusus to reail. Augustus's will was then brought into the house, andread by a freedman ; none of the witnesses to it heing admitted, but such as were of the Senatorian Order, the res Omning their hand-wri ting without doors. The willhegan thus Since my ill fortune has deprived me ofnay t o sons Caius and Lucius, let Tiberius Caesar beheir to two thirils of my estate. '' These woriis coUnte- nanced the suspicion of thos e who were os opinion, that Tiberius was appotnted successor more o ut os necessi tythan choice, since Augustus could not res ratia fro in pre-
facing his will in that manner. XXIV. Though he made no scrupte to assume and exercise immediateis the imperiat authori ty, by givingorders that he might he attended by the guards, whichwere the securi ty and badge of the supreme power ; yet heaffected, by a most impudent picce of grimace, to refuse itfor
283쪽
TIBERIUS NERO CAESAR. 269it. It was Tiberius's apprehension from this quarter,
that made him heg of the Senate to assign him sonae partonly in the administration, lach as they should judge
Proper, since no man could be lassicient for the whole, without one or more to assist him. He pretended lik
wise to be in a bad state of health, Uaat Germanicus might the more patiently wait in hopes of speedily succeeding him, or at least of being taken into a stare of the administration. When the mulinies in the armies mere suppressed, he got by stratagem Clemens into his hands. That he might not begin his re ign by an adt of severity, he did not cali Libo to an account be re the Senate untii his second year, being content, in the meanti me, With taking proper precautions for his own securi ty. For upon Libo's attending a sacrifice amongst me high-priests, instead of the usual kni , he ordered one oflead to be given him ; and when he desii ed a private conserenoe with him, he would not grant his request, butupon the condition that his son Drusus smould be present; and as they walhed together, he held him fast by the right hand, under the preteiace of leaning upon him, untii the conversation WAS OVer.
XXVI. When he was delivered Dom his apprehensioris, his bellavi our at fit st was unassum ing, not muchabove the levet os a private person ; and of the many and great honors offered him, he accepted but se , and suci, as Mere very moderate. His birth-day, Whicli happened to sali in the time of the Plebei an Circensiangames, he with dissicut ty suffered to be honored by the addition os a single chariot, drawn with only twO horses. He forbid temples, Flamens, or priesis to be appo in ted i rhim, as like wise the erection of any statues or effigies forhim, Without his permission; and this he granted on ly
284쪽
the images of the Gods, but only amongst the ornaments of houses. He also interpos edio preverit the Senate fronis earing to maintain his agis ; and that the monili os September siould not be called Tiberius, nor October, Livy. The pinet nomen likewi se of Imperator, mitti thecognomen os Father of his country, and a civic crownto hang constantly at the enti ance of his house, he would not accepi of He never used the nave of Augustus,
though hereditary to him, in any of his letters, eXcept ing thos e to Lings and princes. Nor had he more than three Consulmips, one for a sew days, another for three monilis, and a third, during his ablance froin the city, untii the Ides of Alay. XXVII. He had suci, an avers1on to saltery, that hemould never suffer any Senator to approach his chair, a She passed the streeis in it, ei ther to pay him a civility, orupon businest. And when a mari os Consular rank, inbegging his pardon for me offence he had gi ven him, made a motion to fati at his knees, he daried from hi min such a hut ry, that he seli fiat upon his bach. Is a nycompli meiat was puid him, et ther in conversation or a set speech, he would not scrupte to interrupi and reprimanditie party, and alter what he seid. Being once called Lord, V by sonae person, he dessi red that he might nomore he astron ted in that manner. When another, to CXC ite veneration, Called his occupations sacred,'' and
XXVIII. He re mained unmoved at ali the aspersi Ons,
285쪽
XXIX. These things were so much the more remark
tion to you. V Asterwards, addi essing the whole house, he expressed himself thus: se Conscript Fathers, Ι have osten said it both now and at ollier times, that a good prince who has a regard to the wellare of the people, whom ye have invested with so great and absolute apo er, ought to be a flave to the Senate, to the wholebody of the people, and osten to individuals likewise : noram I sori y that I have said it. I have always found yougood, kind, and favorabie masters, and stili find you Q. XXX. He likewise introduced an appearance of liber-W, by pretei ving to the Senate and magistrates their
286쪽
or smali consideration, public or private, were laid be- fore the Senate ; as the taXes, monopolies, the bus1nesi ofraising or repatring buit lings, the levying and diibandingos soldiers, the disposal of the legions and auxiliaryforces in the provinces, the appotniment of generals forthe mana gement of eXtraordi mary wars, and the answering os letters froni foret gia princes, were alI submitted tothe Senate. He never entered the hous e but alone ; and being once brought thither in a chair, because he was
indisposed, he dis missed his attendanis at the door. XXXI. When some things were decreed againsi his ad- vice, he did not so much as compla in os it. And though hogave ii as his opinion that no magistrates aster their eleC-tion stiould be sussered to absent them lues from the City, but reside in it constantly, to ei oy trie honor they had obtained, a Praetor electo procured liberty to leave the town, under the honorary tille os a free lieuienant. Again, whenhe propos ed to the liouse, that the Ἱh ebians might have leave granted them to employ sonae money which hadbeen lest them by wili, for the buit ling of a new theatre, to wariis the making of a causeway, he could not prevallto have the intention of the testator set asside. And when, .upon a division of the house, he went over to the minority, no body foliori ed him. Albo ther things of a public nature were likewi se transacted by the magistrates, and 'in the usual fornas ; the authori ty of the Consuls remaining so great, that se me ambasiadors stoin Africa waitedupon them with a complaint, that they could not have
he used to rise up to them, and give the Way.
287쪽
XXXII. He reprimanded some persons of Consulari an at the head of the severat armies, for not writing to
the Senate an account of their transactions, and sor Consulting him about the distribution of me military pre- senis; as is they themselves had not a right to besto them as they judged proper. He Commended a Praetor, Who, upon entering on his ossice, revived an old custonios celebrating the memory of his ancestors, in a speechto the people. He attended the corpses of some persons os distinction to the funerat pile. He discovered the sanae moderate conduct witii regard to persons and things of inferior consideration. He sent for the magistrates os Rhodes, who h ad dispalched to him a public leJ ter. Which was not as usual subscribed ; and without giving them so much as orae harsh word, he desii ed them to subscribe: it, and dismissed them. Diogenes, the gram
marian, Who used to read lectures at Rhodes every Satum Jay, had Once refused hi in admittance upon his comingio hear him out of course, and ordered him by a servantio come again seven days after. This sanae person com-
XXXIIL By degrees he assumed the egercise of thelavereignty, but sor a long timo with great variety of conducti, though generalJy with a due regard to the pub lic good. At firit he only interposed to prevent illmanagement. Accordingly he restinded sonae decrees of the Senate ; and when the magistrates sat sor me administration os justic he v ould offer his service as an
288쪽
assessior, and sit amongst them, or in the opposite part os the coul t. fronting them. Is a rumor prevalled, that any Person under prose cution mas likely by his interest to beacquitted , he would suddenly mahe his appearance in Cotiri, and from the ground-benches, or the Praetor's seat, would rem ind the judges of the laws, their oath, and thenature of the charge brought bes ore them. He lihewisetook upon hi in the correction of the publiC manners, where any abuse had been countenanced, ei ther by neg- Iedi . of duty in the magistrates, or the prevalency Of
XXXIV. He reduced the expence of public sporis and diversions for the enteria in ment of the people ; by dimunishing the allowance to stage-players for their service, and abridging the number of gladiators upon those OCCa- sons. He made grievous complaint to the Senate, that the price of Corinthian vesteis was risen to a prodigious height, and that three barbels h ad been sold for thirtythousand sesterces ; upon which he moved in the liouse, that a new sumptuary law should be enadted : that theshambies seould be subjected to such regulations, a S tome Senate should appear proper ; and the AEdiles commissioned to resti ain laverias and victu allinPhouses, solar as not to permit even the sale of biscuit, or calies of
any hind. And to encourage frugality in the public byliis ora n example, he would osten, at his entertainments Upon solemn occasions, have at his table victuals which
289쪽
ΤIBERIUS NERO CAESAR. 27sos four times as much as he received in that way, and
witti his own hand; but heing offended at the continualdisturbance which was given him during the wholemonili, by those who had Kot the opportunity os attend-ing him ui on the festivat, he returned none after that da y. XXXV. Married women guilty of adultery, and
Whom none appeared to prosecure, lic authoris ed thenearest relations to punish by conceri amongst thenaseives,aCcording to ancient custom. He discliarged a Romanknight froin the obligation os an oath he had taken, neverto turn away his wife ; and allowed him to divorce her,upon her being caught in criminal intercourse with herson-in-law. Scandalous women, divesting them lues of the righis and dignity of matrons, had now begula a praetice of professing them lues prostitutes, to aVOid the punissiment of the laws ; and the most profligate Foung men of the Senatorian and Equestrian Orders, tosecure themselves against a decree of the Senate, whicli
prohibited their acting upon the stage, or fighting as gladiators in the theatre, voluntarily subjected them selvesto an infamous sentence, by whicli they were degraded. All those he banished, that none for the future might evade by such artifices the intention and emcacy of thelaw. He took Dom a Senator the laticlavian tuniC, Uponinformation of his having before the Calends of July removed into his gardens, that he might afterwards hirea ho his e cheaper in the city. He likewise disinissed another fro in the ossice of Quaestor, for divorcing, the
290쪽
velim enis, and every instrument of religio us Ceremony. The yoting men amongst the Jews he disposed os, under the preteiace of their serving in the wars, in provinces os an unhealthful air; and bani med froni the city ali the restos that nation, or proselytes to that religion, under a penalty of being condemned to flavery for tise, is they did