on
auctions
to one
The first year of his reign was marked by the half per cent.
The first year of his reign was marked by the half per cent.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
youth he was of an unsociable disposition, melan-
Schurn, pp. 60, 61, 2d ed. )
[P. S. ) choly and reserved, and this character developed
THYRSUS (Oupoos), a freedman of Octavian, itself more as he grew older. He had no sympa-
whom the latter sent to Cleopatra at Alexandria, thies nor affections, was indifferent about pleasing
after the battle of Actium. Dion Cassius relates or giving pain to others : he had all the elements
that Octavian made love to Cleopatra by means of of cruelty; suspicion nourished his implacable
Thyrsus, to induce her to betray Antony ; but ternper, and power gave him the opportunity of
Plutarch simply states that Thyrsus, through his gratifying his long nourished schemes of vengeance.
frequent interviews with Cleopatra, excited the In the latter years of his life, particularly, he in-
suspicions of Antony, who seized and whipped | dulged his lustful propensities in every way that
i
A73
çanta
it.
(EE
## p. 1118 (#1134) ##########################################
1118
TIBERIUS.
TIBERIUS.
A depraved imagination could suggest: lust and whose licentious life was no secret to her husband :
cruelty are not strangers. It is said, too, that he probably, too, he was unwilling to stay at Rome
was addicted to excess in wine: he was not when the grandsons of Augustus were attaining
originally avaricious, but he became so. He affected years of maturity, for there was mutual jealousy
a regard to decency and to externals. He was the between them and Tiberius. During his residence
prince of hypocrites; and the events of his reign at Rhodes, Tiberius, among other things, employed
are little more than the exhibition of his detestable himself on astrology, and he was one of the dupes
character. (Tacitus. ]
of this supposed science. His chief master in this
Tiberius was about thirteen years of age when art was Thrasyllus, who predicted that he would
he accompanied Augustus in his triumphal entry be emperor. (Tacit. Ann. vi. 21. ) Augustus had
into Rome (B. C. 29) after the death of M. An not been very ready to allow Tiberius to retire to
tonius: Tiberius rode on the left of Augustus and Rhodes, and he was not willing to let him come
Marcellus on his right. Augustus conferred on back; but, at the instance of Caius Caesar, Tibe-
Tiberius and his brother Drusus titles of dignity, rius was allowed to return, A. D. 2. He was re-
while his grandsons, Caius and Lucius, were still lieved from one trouble during his absence, for his
living: but besides Caius and Lucius, Marcellus, wife Julia was banished to the island of Pandataria
the nephew of Augustus, had superior claims to (B. C. 2), and he never saw her again. (Dion Cass.
the succession, and the prospect of Tiberius suc- lv. 10. ) Suetonius says that Tiberius, by letter,
ceeding to the power of his mother's husband entreated the emperor to let Julia keep whatever
seemed at one time very remote. The death of he had given her.
Agrippa made way for Tiberius being employed in Tiberius was employed in public affairs until the
public affairs, and Augustus compelled him, much death of L. Caesar (A. D. 2), which was followed by
against his will, to divorce his wife Vipsania the death of C. Caesar (A. n. 4). Augustus, now
Agrippina, the daughter of Agrippa, by whom he being without a successor of his own blood, adopted
had one son, and who was then pregnant, and to Tiberius, the son of his wife Livia, with the view
marry Julia (B. c. 11), the widow of Agrippa, and of leaving to him the power that he had himself
the emperor's daughter, with whom Tiberius did acquired ; and at the same time he required Tibe-
pot long live in harmony. He had one child by rius to adopt Germanicus, the son of his brother
Julia, but it did not live.
Drusus, though Tiberius had a son Drusus by his
He was employed on various military services wife Vipsania. (Sueton. Tiber. 15; Vell. Pat. ii.
during the lifetime of Augustus. He made his 103. ) Augustus was not ignorant of the character of
first campaign in the Cantabrian war as Tribunus | Tiberius, but, like others in power, he left it to a
Militum. In B. C. 20 he was sent by Augustus man whom he did not like, and could not esteem,
to restore Tigranes to the throne of Armenia. Ar- rather than allow it to go out of his family. Au-
tabazus, the occupant of the throne, was murdered gustus had indeed adopted Postumus Agrippa,
before Tiberius reached Armenia, and Tiberius the brother of C. and L. Caesares, but there was
had no difficulty in accomplishing his mission. nothing to hope for from him; and Germanicus
(Dion Cass. liv. 9. ) It was during this campaign was too young to be adopted by Augustus with a
that Horace addressed one of his epistles to Julius view to the direct succession.
Florus (i. 12), who was serving under Tiberius. From the year of his adoption to the death of
In B. c. 15, Drusus and his brother Tiberius were Augustus, A. D. 14, Tiberius was in command of
engaged in warfare with the Rhaeti, who occupied the Roman armies, though he visited Rome several
the Alps of Tridentum (Trento), and the exploits times. He was sent into Germany A. D. 4, and
of the two brothers were sung by Horace (Carm. the historian Velleius Paterculus accompanied
iv. 4, 14; Dion Cass. liv. 22. ) In B. C. 13 Tiberius him as praefectus equitum. Tiberius reduced all
was consul with P. Quintilius Varus. In B. c. 11, Illyricum to subjection A. D. 9; and in A. D. 12 he
the same year in which he married Julia, and had the honour of a triumph at Rome for his
while his brother Drusus was fighting against the German and Dalmatian victories. Tiberius dis-
Germans, Tiberius left his new wife to conduct, by played military talent during his transalpine cam-
the order of Augustus, the war against the Dalma- paigns; he maintained discipline in his army, and
tians who bad revolted, and against the Pannonians. took care of the comforts of his soldiers. In A. D.
(Dion Cass. liv. 31. ) Drusus died (B. C. 9) owing 14 Augustus held his last census, in which he bad
to a fall from his horse, after a campaign against Tiberius for his colleague.
the Germans between the Weser and the Elbe. Tiberius being sent to settle the affairs of
On the news of the accident, Tiberius was sent by Illyricum, Augustus accompanied him as far as
Augustus, who was then at Pavia, to Drusus, Beneventum, but as the emperor was on his way
whom he found just alive. (Dion Cass. lv. 2. ). He back to Rome he died at Nola, on the 19th of
conveyed the body to Rome from the banks of August, A. D. 14. Tiberius was immediately sum-
the Rhine, walking all the way before it on foot moned home by his mother Livia, who managed
(Sueton. Tiber. 7), and he pronounced a funeral affairs so as to secure the power to her son, so far
oration over his brother in the forum. Tiberius as such precaution was necessary. If nothing more
returned to the war in Germany, and crossed the had been known of Tiberius than his conduct
Rhine. In B. c. 7 he was again in Rome, was during the lifetime of the emperor, he might have
made consul a second time, and celebrated his descended to posterity with no worse character
becond triumph. (Vell. Pat. ii. 97. )
than many other Romans. His accession to power
In B. c. 6 he obtained the tribunitia potestas for developed all the qualities which were not un-
five years, but during this year he retired with the known to those who were acquainted with him,
emperor's permission to Rhodes, where he spent the but which hitherto had not been allowed their full
next seven years. Tacitus (Ann. i. 53) says that play. He took the power which nobody was pre-
his chief reason for leaving Rome was to get away pared to dispute with him, affecting all the while a
from his wife, whio treated him with contempt, and great reluctance; and he declined the name of Pater
## p. 1119 (#1135) ##########################################
TIBERIUS.
1119
TIBERIUS.
Patriae, and only took that of Augustus when he emperor ; and persons were accused not of acts
wrote to foreign princes. He began his reign by only, but words, and even the most indifferent
putting Postumus Agrippa to death, and he alleged matters were made the ground of such charges.
that it was done pursuant to the command of Thus was established a pestilent class of men,
Augustus (Tacit. Ann. i. 6. )
under the name of Delatores, who became a terrible
His conduct in other respects was marked by means of injustice and oppression (Tacit. Ann. i.
moderation and prudence ; he rejected all flattery 73), and enriched themselves at the expense of
from the senate ; he conferred offices according to their victims by encouraging the cruel suspicions of
merit, and he allowed persons to grow old in them. the emperor. In the lifetime of Augustus, Tiberius
lle endeavoured to relieve the scarcity of bread, a had urged the emperor to punish those who spoke
kind of complaint at Rome, which occurred at disrespectfully of the emperor, but his more prudent
intervals, notwithstanding, and perhaps, in conse- step-father, content with real power and security,
quence of, the efforts of the government to secure allowed the Romans to indulge their taste for satire
a supply of food for the city. His mode of life and pasquinades. (Sueton. Aug. c. 51. ) Tiberius
was frugal, and without ostentatious display, and followed this wise advice for a time, and made great
there was little to find fault with in him. (Dion profession of allowing liberty of specch, but his
Cass. lvii. 2, &c. ) lle had got rid of Agrippa, who real teniper at last prevailed, and the slightest
was the nearest rival, and who, if he had possessed pretence was sufficient to found a charge of laesa
merit, would have scemed to have a better title to majestas (Sueton. Tiber. c. 28). Ile paid unwill-
the imperial power than Tiberius, for he was the ingly and tardily the legacies left by Augustus to
son of Julia. Germanicus was the son of his younger the people, and he began his payment with an act
brother, and had a less direct claim than Tiberius ; of cruelty, which was not the better for being
but Tiberius feared the virtues and the popularity seasoned with humour (Sueton. Tiber, c. 57; Dion
of Germanicus, and so long as he felt that Ger- Cass. Ivii, 14, tells the same story).
manicus might be a rival, his conduct was exceed- Vonones, the son of Phraates, once a hostage at
ingly circumspect. (Tacit. Ann. i. 14,15. ) When he Rome, had been invited back to his Parthian king-
felt himself sure in his place, he began to exercise dom in the time of Augustus, but Artabanus of the
his craft. He took from the popular assembly the royal house of the Arsacidae drove him out (A. D.
election of the magistrates, and transferred it to 16), and he sought refuge in Armenia, which being
the senate, for this is what Tacitus means in the then without a king accepted Vonones. The new
passage of the Annals just referred to: the popular king however was unable to maintain himself
assembly still enacted laws, though the consulta of against a threatened attack of Artabanus. Tiberius
the senate were the ordinary form of legislation from did not wish to get into a quarrel with Artabanus,
the time of the accession of Tiberius. The emperor by giving. Vonones aid, and the exiled king took
limited himself to the recommendation of four can refuge with Creticus Silanus, governor of Syria.
didates annually to the senate, who of course were (Tacit. Ann. ii. 12. ) Germanicus was carrying on
elected ; and he allowed the senate to choose the the war with success in Germany, and Tiberius,
rest. He also nominated the consuls.
who had long been jealous of his rising fame,
The news of the death of Augustus roused a recalled him to Rome under the pretext of giving
mutiny among the legions in Pannonia, which was him a triumph. It seems somewhat inconsistent
qnelled by Drusus, the son of Tiberius, aided by that Tiberius who was addicted to astrology and
the terrors of an eclipse which happened very op- divination should have allowed this class of im-
portunely (27th September, A. D. 14). The armies postors to be banished from Italy (Tacit. Ann. ii.
on the Rhine under Germanicus showed a disposi- 32); this, however, was one of the events of this
tion to reject Tiberius, and a mutinous spirit, and year,
if Germanicus had been inclined to try the fortune Germanicus enjoyed (26th of May A. D. 17) the
of a campaign, he might have had the assistance of triumph which had been decreed. Tiberius added
the German armies against his uncle. But Ger- to the Roman empire the kingdom of Cappadocia,
manicus restored discipline to the army by his the last king of which, Archelaus, had been sum-
firmness, and maintained his fidelity to the new moned to Rome, and died there, probably of old
emperor. Tiberius, however, was not yet free from age and grief combined, after being accused of some
his fears, and be looked with suspicion on Ger- frivolous matters before the senate.
Tiberius was
manicus and his high-spirited wife Agrippina, who enabled by the produce of the new province to
was also disliked by Livia, the mother of Tiberius. reduce the tax of one per cent.
on auctions to one
The first year of his reign was marked by the half per cent. (Tacit. Ann. ii. 42. ) The state of
death of Julia, whom Augustus had removed from affairs in the East, where the kingdoms of Com-
Pandataria to Rhegium ; her husband deprived her magene and Cilicia were disturbed by civil dissen-
of the allowance that she had from her father, and sions and Syria and Judaea were uneasy at the
allowed her to pine away in destitution. One of weight of taxation, gave Tiberius an opportunity of
her lovers, Sempronius Gracchus, who was living removing Germanicus from Rome by conferring on
in exile in a small island on the coast of Africa, him by a decree of the senate the government of
was by the order of Tiberius put to death. (Tacit. the East. Drusus, the son of Tiberius, was sent
Ann. i. 53. )
into Illyricum. This year is memorable for the
Germanicus (A. D. 15) continued the Germanic great earthquake in Asia, the greatest on record at
war, though with no important results, but Agrip- the time when it happened, and the more de-
pina's courage on a trying occasion aroused the structive from having happened by night. Twelve
emperor's fears, and he had now a man about him, cities were damaged or destroyed, the earth opened
Sejanus, who worked on the emperor's suspicious and swallowed up the living, and even southern
temper for his own sinister purposes [SEJANUs. ] Italy and Sicily felt the terrific shock. Sardes
It became common at this time to listen to inform- suffered the most of the twelve cities. The emperor
ations of treason or laesa majestas against the ) alleviated the calamity by his bounty, and in the
## p. 1120 (#1136) ##########################################
1120
TIBERIUS.
TIBERIUS.
Leath of Germani
Lina died. Tibi
tiesi a temple 10
the first listana
permitted. But
Vienior asked p
emperor refused,
the senate,
pod sense.
Judgment and
trvan Dis words
the wisest and
beasures too
and yet such
tardis known
good action.
Tacfarinas,
trabie, was
proconsul P. 1
Doabella did
taugh with
that which hi
this was om
va uning
skrald be eci
kl. The
aztainty, and
toe of a so
Dus, of a co
being able 1
abject senat
case.
Tverius un
Execution o
cise of Sardes by a remission of all payment to the in the consulship had come to a violent death. A
aerarium or fiscus for five years. It is just to com- great revolt broke out this year headed by Julius
memorate his refusal to take testamentary bequests, Florus, at Trèves on the Mosel, and by Julius
when not made by persons who were on terms of Sacrorir, among the Aedui. The alleged grounds
intimacy with him ; but the emperor did not want of the revolt were the heavy taxation, and the
money, nor yet prudence; and it was not prudent oppression of the Roman governors. Sacrovir mus-
to be taking money from every body, eren those of tered forty thousand men at Autun (Augusto-
no character. In this year died Titus Livius, the dunum), eight thousand of whom were furnished
historian, and Ovid in his exile at Tomi.
with the arms of the legionary soldiers, which had
Germanicus restored quiet to Armenia (a. D. 18) been secretly fabricated, and the rest had staves,
hy crowning with his own hands Artaxias as king knives, and other implements of the huntsman.
in the city of Artaxata. His administration of the The rising was not unlike the style of insurrection
East was prudent and successful, but he died in that has often shown itself in France since 1789.
Syria A. D. 19, and the dislike of Tiberius and the The rebellion was put down ; and Florus and
enmity of Cn. Piso, the governor of Syria, gave Sacrovir only escaped from the Romans by dying
credibility to the report that Germanicus was by their own hands. (Tacit. Ann. iii. 40. )
poisoned. About this time Maroboduus, king of The principle of treason against the princeps
the Suevi, being driven from his states by Roman (laesa majestas) was already established under
intrigues, crossed the Danube, came to Italy and Tiberius in its utmost extent, for C. Lutorius
settled at Ravenna. A Thracian king Rhescuporis, Priscus was condemned by the senate for having
who had murdered his nephew Cotys, who was written a poem upon the death of Drusus, in anti-
king of part of Thrace, wrote to Tiberius to inform cipation of the event, Drusus being then very ill.
him that Cotys had been punished for his treachery. The senate seem to bave proceeded in the mode of
Tiberius artfully got Rhescuporis into his power, a bill of pains and penalties, for there does not
and had him brought to Rome, where he was appear to have been any law applicable to such a
convicted by the senate, and Thrace was divided Priscus was executed, and Tiberius, in his
between the son of Rhescuporis and the children usual perplexed mode of expression, blamed the
of Cotys. (Tacit. Ann. ii. 64. )
senate; he praised their affectionate zeal in
A regard to external decency was one of the avenging insults to the princeps, but he disapproved
characteristics of the reign of Tiberius, and a decree of such hasty penalties being inflicted for words
of the senate was made against certain classes of only. (Tacit. Ann. iii. 49. ) It was on this oc-
women who professed the occupation of courtezans. casion that a senatus consultum was enacted, that
(Sueton. Tiber. c. 35; Tacit. Ann. ii. 85. ) But no decree of the senate should be carried to the
religious tolerance was not one of the merits of the Aerarium before the tenth day, and thus a reprieve
time of Tiberius ; a senatus consultum imposed pe- of so many days would be allowed to the con-
nalties on those who practised the ceremonial of demned (Tacit. Ann. iii. 51 ; Dion Cass. lvii
. 20).
the Egyptian or Jewish worship, though this was In the year A. D. 22 the senate conferred on Drusus,
not the first example of the kind of intolerance at at the request of Tiberius, the Tribunitia Potestas,
Rome. (Tacit. Ann. ii. 85 ; compare Seneca, Ep. the highest title of dignity, and an intimation that
108. ) This year was memorable for the appearance Drusus was to be the successor of Tiberius. Though
of a new island above the sea near Delos. (Plin. the senate had conferred the honour in terms of
Hist. Nat. ii. 87. )
great adulation, Drusus, who appears to have been
In the spring of A. D. 20 Agrippina landed at in Campania at the time, did not think it worth
Brundisium with the ashes of her husband. The while to come to Rome to thank them. (Tacit. Ann.
remains of Germanicus received a public interment, iii. 59. ) Tacfarinas, an African chieftain, had long
but Tiberius and Livia did not show themselves, troubled the province of Africa, and Junius Blaesas
for which Tacitus assigns a reason, which may be was sent as proconsul, with orders to catch him ;
true or false. (Ann. ii. 3. ) Piso, who came to but it was no easy thing to take this wandering
Rome, was accused before the senate of having robber, and Blaesus only seized his brother. Ti-
taken the life of Germanicus. There was strong berius allowed the soldiers to salute Blaesus with
suspicion, but little or no proof; yet Piso, seeing the title of Imperator, and he was the last Roman
that Tiberius gave him no support, released himself citizen, except the emperors, who enjoyed this
by a voluntary death, or was put to death by order ancient distinction. (Tacit. Ann. iii. 74. )
of Tiberius. His wife Plancina, who was guilty if In A. D. 23 Drusus, the son of Tiberius, died,
her husband was, escaped through the influence of being poisoned by the contrivance of Sejanus
Livia. There is certainly strong reason to believe (SEJANUS). His death was no loss to the state,
that in this matter of the death of Germanicus as for he gave indications of a character in no respect
well as of Piso, Tiberius was guilty (Tacit. Ann. better than that of his father ; yet he had lived on
iii. 16), though Tacitus does not pronounce a good terms with Germanicus, and after his death
positive opinion. Tiberius gave Julia, the daughter he had behaved well to his children, or at least had
of his son Drusus, in marriage to Nero, the eldest not displayed any hostility towards them. The
son of Germanicus, which was a popular measure. emperor either did not feel much sorrow for the
He also moderated the penalties which the Lex death of his son or he concealed it ; and when the
Papia, passed in the time of Augustus, imposed on people of Ilium some time after sent him a message
unmarried persons, with the double purpose of of condolence, he returned the compliment by con-
encouraging matrimony and filling the aerarium. doling with them on the death of their fellow-
(Tacit. Ann. iii. 25. )
against wbi
putting his
the island
had been
terus, con
to iniormes
die bs bi
Lanced ;
Weaken op
ters, an
tained the
as the ser
has inet
they had
kr of i
enemies
informer
we of bi
bal wie
Brutus
citizen Hector (Sueton. Tibcr. c. 52). It was re-
The year A. D. 21 was the fourth consulship of marked that the influence of Sejanus over Tiberius
Tiberius, and the second of his son Drusus Caesar, increased after the death of Drusus, and Tiberius
but it was considered a bad omen for Drusus, be began to display the vices of his character more
cause all those who had been his father's colleagues and more. The same was remarked also after the
bet mac
bis deier
be star
the aedi
Aanals
25).
derer
the wal
dedicat
Estive
a great
Sjana
bearing
cinued
VOL
## p. 1121 (#1137) ##########################################
TIBERIUS.
1121
TIBERIUS.
a
Ceath of Germanicus, and again when his mother | death of Sejanus. (Tacit. Ann. iv. 57. ) A great
Liria died. Tiberius allowed the cities of Asia to accident happened at Fidenae in the following
erect a temple to himself and his mother at Smyrna, year: a man named Atilius built a temporary amphi-
the first instance of this flattery which he had theatre, for the exhibition of a show of gladiators,
permitted. But when the province of Hispania but being ill-constructed, it fell down during the
Ulterior asked permission to do the same thing, the games, and twenty thousand people, it is said, were
emperor refused, and stated his reason in an oration killed (Tacit. Ann. iv. 62 ; compare Sueton. Tiber.
to the senate, which is characterised by modesty 40). Atilius was banished. About this time a
and good sense. This singular man had a sound great conflagration destroyed all the buildings on the
judgment, and if we formed our opinion of him Muns Caelius, and the emperor liberally relieved
from his words only, we should place him among the sufferers in proportion to their losses, a measure
the wisest and best of the Roman emperors. His which procured him the good-will of the people.
measures too were often prudent and beneficial ; His dislike of publicity was shown during his re-
and yet such was his insincerity, that we can sidence in Campania, by an edict which cominanded
hardly know when to give him credit even for a the people not to disturb his retirement, and he
good action.
prevented all assemblages of people by placing
Tacfarinas, who had given the Romans so much soldiers in various posts. In order, however, to be-
trouble, was at last defeated and killed by the cure the retirement which he loved, he went (A. D.
proconsul P. Cornelius Dolabella (A. D. 24); but | 27) to the island of Capri (Capreae), which is about
Dolabella did not obtain the triumphal honours, three miles from the promontory of Surrento. This
though with inferior forces he had accomplished retreat was further recommended by having an
that which his predecessors had in vain attempted : almost inaccessible coast. A poor fisherman, who
this was owing to the influence of Sejanus, who had caught a large mullet, with difficulty made his
was unwilling that the glories of his uncle Blaesus way up the rocks to present it to the emperor, who
should be eclipsed by honours conferred on Dola- rewarded him by ordering his face to be well rubbed
bella. The system of delations was now in full with the fish. (Sueton. Tiber. C. 60. )
activity, and Rome witnessed the scandalous spec- The new year (A. D. 28) was opened with the
tacle of a son accusing his father, Q. Vibius Sere- death of Titus Sabinus, a friend of Germanicus,
nus, of a conspiracy against the emperor, without whom Latinius Latiaris had inveigled into very
being able to prove any thing against him. The strong expressions against Sejanus and Tiberius,
abject senate condemned Serenus to death, but while he had placed persons in secret to be wit-
Tiberius used his tribunitian power to prevent the nesses. The villains informed Tiberius of the
execution of the capital sentence, and the man words of Sabinus, and at the same time of their
against whom nothing could be proved even by own treachery. The emperor let the senate know
putting his slaves to the torture, was banished to his wishes, and this servile body immediately put
the island of Amorgus. Caecilius Cornutus, who Sabinus to death, for which they received the
had been charged with being an accomplice of Se- thanks of Tiberius. (Tacit. Ann. iv. 68. ) In this
renus, committed suicide. On this occasion a year Tiberius married Agrippina, a daughter of
motion was made in the senate for giving no reward Germanicus, to Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, and
to informers, if the person accused of treason should the result of this union was the emperor Nero
die by his own hand before sentence was pro- | (NERO). The death of Livia (A. D. 29), the em-
nounced ; but Tiberius, seeing that this would peror's mother, released Tiberius from one cause of
weaken one of his engines of state-craft, in harsh anxiety. He had long been tired of her, because
terms, and contrary to his practice, openly main- she wished to exercise authority, and one object in
tained the cause of the informers ; such a measure leaving Rome was to be out of her way. He did
as the senate proposed would, he said, render the not visit her in her last illness, nor come to the
laws ineffectual and put the state in jeopardy ; funeral, being, as he said, overwhelmed with public
they had better subvert all law than deprive the affairs, he who neglected all important affairs, and
law of its guardians. Tiberius, always fearing devoted himself to his solitary pleasures. (Tacit.
enemies, thought his safety consisted in encouraging Ann. v. 2 ; Dion Cass. lvii. 2. ) Livia's death
informers ; here he spoke out fairly, and revealed gave Sejanus and Tiberius free scope, for Tiberius
one of his secrets of governing. Cremutius Cordus never entirely released himself from a kind of sub-
bad written Annals, in which he had commended jection to his mother, and Sejanus did not venture
Brutus and Cassius : he was accused, and as he to attempt the overthrow of Livia's influence.
had made up his mind to die, he spoke boldly in the destruction of Agrippina and her children was
his defence. After going out of the senate house now the chief purpose of Sejanus, who had his
he starved himself to death; the senate ordered own ambitious projects to serve, as it is shown in
the aediles to search for his works and burn them, his life (SEJANUS ; AGRIPPINA]; he finally got
but all the copies were not discovered, and his from the tyrant the reward that was his just de-
Annals were extant when Tacitus wrote (Ann.
Schurn, pp. 60, 61, 2d ed. )
[P. S. ) choly and reserved, and this character developed
THYRSUS (Oupoos), a freedman of Octavian, itself more as he grew older. He had no sympa-
whom the latter sent to Cleopatra at Alexandria, thies nor affections, was indifferent about pleasing
after the battle of Actium. Dion Cassius relates or giving pain to others : he had all the elements
that Octavian made love to Cleopatra by means of of cruelty; suspicion nourished his implacable
Thyrsus, to induce her to betray Antony ; but ternper, and power gave him the opportunity of
Plutarch simply states that Thyrsus, through his gratifying his long nourished schemes of vengeance.
frequent interviews with Cleopatra, excited the In the latter years of his life, particularly, he in-
suspicions of Antony, who seized and whipped | dulged his lustful propensities in every way that
i
A73
çanta
it.
(EE
## p. 1118 (#1134) ##########################################
1118
TIBERIUS.
TIBERIUS.
A depraved imagination could suggest: lust and whose licentious life was no secret to her husband :
cruelty are not strangers. It is said, too, that he probably, too, he was unwilling to stay at Rome
was addicted to excess in wine: he was not when the grandsons of Augustus were attaining
originally avaricious, but he became so. He affected years of maturity, for there was mutual jealousy
a regard to decency and to externals. He was the between them and Tiberius. During his residence
prince of hypocrites; and the events of his reign at Rhodes, Tiberius, among other things, employed
are little more than the exhibition of his detestable himself on astrology, and he was one of the dupes
character. (Tacitus. ]
of this supposed science. His chief master in this
Tiberius was about thirteen years of age when art was Thrasyllus, who predicted that he would
he accompanied Augustus in his triumphal entry be emperor. (Tacit. Ann. vi. 21. ) Augustus had
into Rome (B. C. 29) after the death of M. An not been very ready to allow Tiberius to retire to
tonius: Tiberius rode on the left of Augustus and Rhodes, and he was not willing to let him come
Marcellus on his right. Augustus conferred on back; but, at the instance of Caius Caesar, Tibe-
Tiberius and his brother Drusus titles of dignity, rius was allowed to return, A. D. 2. He was re-
while his grandsons, Caius and Lucius, were still lieved from one trouble during his absence, for his
living: but besides Caius and Lucius, Marcellus, wife Julia was banished to the island of Pandataria
the nephew of Augustus, had superior claims to (B. C. 2), and he never saw her again. (Dion Cass.
the succession, and the prospect of Tiberius suc- lv. 10. ) Suetonius says that Tiberius, by letter,
ceeding to the power of his mother's husband entreated the emperor to let Julia keep whatever
seemed at one time very remote. The death of he had given her.
Agrippa made way for Tiberius being employed in Tiberius was employed in public affairs until the
public affairs, and Augustus compelled him, much death of L. Caesar (A. D. 2), which was followed by
against his will, to divorce his wife Vipsania the death of C. Caesar (A. n. 4). Augustus, now
Agrippina, the daughter of Agrippa, by whom he being without a successor of his own blood, adopted
had one son, and who was then pregnant, and to Tiberius, the son of his wife Livia, with the view
marry Julia (B. c. 11), the widow of Agrippa, and of leaving to him the power that he had himself
the emperor's daughter, with whom Tiberius did acquired ; and at the same time he required Tibe-
pot long live in harmony. He had one child by rius to adopt Germanicus, the son of his brother
Julia, but it did not live.
Drusus, though Tiberius had a son Drusus by his
He was employed on various military services wife Vipsania. (Sueton. Tiber. 15; Vell. Pat. ii.
during the lifetime of Augustus. He made his 103. ) Augustus was not ignorant of the character of
first campaign in the Cantabrian war as Tribunus | Tiberius, but, like others in power, he left it to a
Militum. In B. C. 20 he was sent by Augustus man whom he did not like, and could not esteem,
to restore Tigranes to the throne of Armenia. Ar- rather than allow it to go out of his family. Au-
tabazus, the occupant of the throne, was murdered gustus had indeed adopted Postumus Agrippa,
before Tiberius reached Armenia, and Tiberius the brother of C. and L. Caesares, but there was
had no difficulty in accomplishing his mission. nothing to hope for from him; and Germanicus
(Dion Cass. liv. 9. ) It was during this campaign was too young to be adopted by Augustus with a
that Horace addressed one of his epistles to Julius view to the direct succession.
Florus (i. 12), who was serving under Tiberius. From the year of his adoption to the death of
In B. c. 15, Drusus and his brother Tiberius were Augustus, A. D. 14, Tiberius was in command of
engaged in warfare with the Rhaeti, who occupied the Roman armies, though he visited Rome several
the Alps of Tridentum (Trento), and the exploits times. He was sent into Germany A. D. 4, and
of the two brothers were sung by Horace (Carm. the historian Velleius Paterculus accompanied
iv. 4, 14; Dion Cass. liv. 22. ) In B. C. 13 Tiberius him as praefectus equitum. Tiberius reduced all
was consul with P. Quintilius Varus. In B. c. 11, Illyricum to subjection A. D. 9; and in A. D. 12 he
the same year in which he married Julia, and had the honour of a triumph at Rome for his
while his brother Drusus was fighting against the German and Dalmatian victories. Tiberius dis-
Germans, Tiberius left his new wife to conduct, by played military talent during his transalpine cam-
the order of Augustus, the war against the Dalma- paigns; he maintained discipline in his army, and
tians who bad revolted, and against the Pannonians. took care of the comforts of his soldiers. In A. D.
(Dion Cass. liv. 31. ) Drusus died (B. C. 9) owing 14 Augustus held his last census, in which he bad
to a fall from his horse, after a campaign against Tiberius for his colleague.
the Germans between the Weser and the Elbe. Tiberius being sent to settle the affairs of
On the news of the accident, Tiberius was sent by Illyricum, Augustus accompanied him as far as
Augustus, who was then at Pavia, to Drusus, Beneventum, but as the emperor was on his way
whom he found just alive. (Dion Cass. lv. 2. ). He back to Rome he died at Nola, on the 19th of
conveyed the body to Rome from the banks of August, A. D. 14. Tiberius was immediately sum-
the Rhine, walking all the way before it on foot moned home by his mother Livia, who managed
(Sueton. Tiber. 7), and he pronounced a funeral affairs so as to secure the power to her son, so far
oration over his brother in the forum. Tiberius as such precaution was necessary. If nothing more
returned to the war in Germany, and crossed the had been known of Tiberius than his conduct
Rhine. In B. c. 7 he was again in Rome, was during the lifetime of the emperor, he might have
made consul a second time, and celebrated his descended to posterity with no worse character
becond triumph. (Vell. Pat. ii. 97. )
than many other Romans. His accession to power
In B. c. 6 he obtained the tribunitia potestas for developed all the qualities which were not un-
five years, but during this year he retired with the known to those who were acquainted with him,
emperor's permission to Rhodes, where he spent the but which hitherto had not been allowed their full
next seven years. Tacitus (Ann. i. 53) says that play. He took the power which nobody was pre-
his chief reason for leaving Rome was to get away pared to dispute with him, affecting all the while a
from his wife, whio treated him with contempt, and great reluctance; and he declined the name of Pater
## p. 1119 (#1135) ##########################################
TIBERIUS.
1119
TIBERIUS.
Patriae, and only took that of Augustus when he emperor ; and persons were accused not of acts
wrote to foreign princes. He began his reign by only, but words, and even the most indifferent
putting Postumus Agrippa to death, and he alleged matters were made the ground of such charges.
that it was done pursuant to the command of Thus was established a pestilent class of men,
Augustus (Tacit. Ann. i. 6. )
under the name of Delatores, who became a terrible
His conduct in other respects was marked by means of injustice and oppression (Tacit. Ann. i.
moderation and prudence ; he rejected all flattery 73), and enriched themselves at the expense of
from the senate ; he conferred offices according to their victims by encouraging the cruel suspicions of
merit, and he allowed persons to grow old in them. the emperor. In the lifetime of Augustus, Tiberius
lle endeavoured to relieve the scarcity of bread, a had urged the emperor to punish those who spoke
kind of complaint at Rome, which occurred at disrespectfully of the emperor, but his more prudent
intervals, notwithstanding, and perhaps, in conse- step-father, content with real power and security,
quence of, the efforts of the government to secure allowed the Romans to indulge their taste for satire
a supply of food for the city. His mode of life and pasquinades. (Sueton. Aug. c. 51. ) Tiberius
was frugal, and without ostentatious display, and followed this wise advice for a time, and made great
there was little to find fault with in him. (Dion profession of allowing liberty of specch, but his
Cass. lvii. 2, &c. ) lle had got rid of Agrippa, who real teniper at last prevailed, and the slightest
was the nearest rival, and who, if he had possessed pretence was sufficient to found a charge of laesa
merit, would have scemed to have a better title to majestas (Sueton. Tiber. c. 28). Ile paid unwill-
the imperial power than Tiberius, for he was the ingly and tardily the legacies left by Augustus to
son of Julia. Germanicus was the son of his younger the people, and he began his payment with an act
brother, and had a less direct claim than Tiberius ; of cruelty, which was not the better for being
but Tiberius feared the virtues and the popularity seasoned with humour (Sueton. Tiber, c. 57; Dion
of Germanicus, and so long as he felt that Ger- Cass. Ivii, 14, tells the same story).
manicus might be a rival, his conduct was exceed- Vonones, the son of Phraates, once a hostage at
ingly circumspect. (Tacit. Ann. i. 14,15. ) When he Rome, had been invited back to his Parthian king-
felt himself sure in his place, he began to exercise dom in the time of Augustus, but Artabanus of the
his craft. He took from the popular assembly the royal house of the Arsacidae drove him out (A. D.
election of the magistrates, and transferred it to 16), and he sought refuge in Armenia, which being
the senate, for this is what Tacitus means in the then without a king accepted Vonones. The new
passage of the Annals just referred to: the popular king however was unable to maintain himself
assembly still enacted laws, though the consulta of against a threatened attack of Artabanus. Tiberius
the senate were the ordinary form of legislation from did not wish to get into a quarrel with Artabanus,
the time of the accession of Tiberius. The emperor by giving. Vonones aid, and the exiled king took
limited himself to the recommendation of four can refuge with Creticus Silanus, governor of Syria.
didates annually to the senate, who of course were (Tacit. Ann. ii. 12. ) Germanicus was carrying on
elected ; and he allowed the senate to choose the the war with success in Germany, and Tiberius,
rest. He also nominated the consuls.
who had long been jealous of his rising fame,
The news of the death of Augustus roused a recalled him to Rome under the pretext of giving
mutiny among the legions in Pannonia, which was him a triumph. It seems somewhat inconsistent
qnelled by Drusus, the son of Tiberius, aided by that Tiberius who was addicted to astrology and
the terrors of an eclipse which happened very op- divination should have allowed this class of im-
portunely (27th September, A. D. 14). The armies postors to be banished from Italy (Tacit. Ann. ii.
on the Rhine under Germanicus showed a disposi- 32); this, however, was one of the events of this
tion to reject Tiberius, and a mutinous spirit, and year,
if Germanicus had been inclined to try the fortune Germanicus enjoyed (26th of May A. D. 17) the
of a campaign, he might have had the assistance of triumph which had been decreed. Tiberius added
the German armies against his uncle. But Ger- to the Roman empire the kingdom of Cappadocia,
manicus restored discipline to the army by his the last king of which, Archelaus, had been sum-
firmness, and maintained his fidelity to the new moned to Rome, and died there, probably of old
emperor. Tiberius, however, was not yet free from age and grief combined, after being accused of some
his fears, and be looked with suspicion on Ger- frivolous matters before the senate.
Tiberius was
manicus and his high-spirited wife Agrippina, who enabled by the produce of the new province to
was also disliked by Livia, the mother of Tiberius. reduce the tax of one per cent.
on auctions to one
The first year of his reign was marked by the half per cent. (Tacit. Ann. ii. 42. ) The state of
death of Julia, whom Augustus had removed from affairs in the East, where the kingdoms of Com-
Pandataria to Rhegium ; her husband deprived her magene and Cilicia were disturbed by civil dissen-
of the allowance that she had from her father, and sions and Syria and Judaea were uneasy at the
allowed her to pine away in destitution. One of weight of taxation, gave Tiberius an opportunity of
her lovers, Sempronius Gracchus, who was living removing Germanicus from Rome by conferring on
in exile in a small island on the coast of Africa, him by a decree of the senate the government of
was by the order of Tiberius put to death. (Tacit. the East. Drusus, the son of Tiberius, was sent
Ann. i. 53. )
into Illyricum. This year is memorable for the
Germanicus (A. D. 15) continued the Germanic great earthquake in Asia, the greatest on record at
war, though with no important results, but Agrip- the time when it happened, and the more de-
pina's courage on a trying occasion aroused the structive from having happened by night. Twelve
emperor's fears, and he had now a man about him, cities were damaged or destroyed, the earth opened
Sejanus, who worked on the emperor's suspicious and swallowed up the living, and even southern
temper for his own sinister purposes [SEJANUs. ] Italy and Sicily felt the terrific shock. Sardes
It became common at this time to listen to inform- suffered the most of the twelve cities. The emperor
ations of treason or laesa majestas against the ) alleviated the calamity by his bounty, and in the
## p. 1120 (#1136) ##########################################
1120
TIBERIUS.
TIBERIUS.
Leath of Germani
Lina died. Tibi
tiesi a temple 10
the first listana
permitted. But
Vienior asked p
emperor refused,
the senate,
pod sense.
Judgment and
trvan Dis words
the wisest and
beasures too
and yet such
tardis known
good action.
Tacfarinas,
trabie, was
proconsul P. 1
Doabella did
taugh with
that which hi
this was om
va uning
skrald be eci
kl. The
aztainty, and
toe of a so
Dus, of a co
being able 1
abject senat
case.
Tverius un
Execution o
cise of Sardes by a remission of all payment to the in the consulship had come to a violent death. A
aerarium or fiscus for five years. It is just to com- great revolt broke out this year headed by Julius
memorate his refusal to take testamentary bequests, Florus, at Trèves on the Mosel, and by Julius
when not made by persons who were on terms of Sacrorir, among the Aedui. The alleged grounds
intimacy with him ; but the emperor did not want of the revolt were the heavy taxation, and the
money, nor yet prudence; and it was not prudent oppression of the Roman governors. Sacrovir mus-
to be taking money from every body, eren those of tered forty thousand men at Autun (Augusto-
no character. In this year died Titus Livius, the dunum), eight thousand of whom were furnished
historian, and Ovid in his exile at Tomi.
with the arms of the legionary soldiers, which had
Germanicus restored quiet to Armenia (a. D. 18) been secretly fabricated, and the rest had staves,
hy crowning with his own hands Artaxias as king knives, and other implements of the huntsman.
in the city of Artaxata. His administration of the The rising was not unlike the style of insurrection
East was prudent and successful, but he died in that has often shown itself in France since 1789.
Syria A. D. 19, and the dislike of Tiberius and the The rebellion was put down ; and Florus and
enmity of Cn. Piso, the governor of Syria, gave Sacrovir only escaped from the Romans by dying
credibility to the report that Germanicus was by their own hands. (Tacit. Ann. iii. 40. )
poisoned. About this time Maroboduus, king of The principle of treason against the princeps
the Suevi, being driven from his states by Roman (laesa majestas) was already established under
intrigues, crossed the Danube, came to Italy and Tiberius in its utmost extent, for C. Lutorius
settled at Ravenna. A Thracian king Rhescuporis, Priscus was condemned by the senate for having
who had murdered his nephew Cotys, who was written a poem upon the death of Drusus, in anti-
king of part of Thrace, wrote to Tiberius to inform cipation of the event, Drusus being then very ill.
him that Cotys had been punished for his treachery. The senate seem to bave proceeded in the mode of
Tiberius artfully got Rhescuporis into his power, a bill of pains and penalties, for there does not
and had him brought to Rome, where he was appear to have been any law applicable to such a
convicted by the senate, and Thrace was divided Priscus was executed, and Tiberius, in his
between the son of Rhescuporis and the children usual perplexed mode of expression, blamed the
of Cotys. (Tacit. Ann. ii. 64. )
senate; he praised their affectionate zeal in
A regard to external decency was one of the avenging insults to the princeps, but he disapproved
characteristics of the reign of Tiberius, and a decree of such hasty penalties being inflicted for words
of the senate was made against certain classes of only. (Tacit. Ann. iii. 49. ) It was on this oc-
women who professed the occupation of courtezans. casion that a senatus consultum was enacted, that
(Sueton. Tiber. c. 35; Tacit. Ann. ii. 85. ) But no decree of the senate should be carried to the
religious tolerance was not one of the merits of the Aerarium before the tenth day, and thus a reprieve
time of Tiberius ; a senatus consultum imposed pe- of so many days would be allowed to the con-
nalties on those who practised the ceremonial of demned (Tacit. Ann. iii. 51 ; Dion Cass. lvii
. 20).
the Egyptian or Jewish worship, though this was In the year A. D. 22 the senate conferred on Drusus,
not the first example of the kind of intolerance at at the request of Tiberius, the Tribunitia Potestas,
Rome. (Tacit. Ann. ii. 85 ; compare Seneca, Ep. the highest title of dignity, and an intimation that
108. ) This year was memorable for the appearance Drusus was to be the successor of Tiberius. Though
of a new island above the sea near Delos. (Plin. the senate had conferred the honour in terms of
Hist. Nat. ii. 87. )
great adulation, Drusus, who appears to have been
In the spring of A. D. 20 Agrippina landed at in Campania at the time, did not think it worth
Brundisium with the ashes of her husband. The while to come to Rome to thank them. (Tacit. Ann.
remains of Germanicus received a public interment, iii. 59. ) Tacfarinas, an African chieftain, had long
but Tiberius and Livia did not show themselves, troubled the province of Africa, and Junius Blaesas
for which Tacitus assigns a reason, which may be was sent as proconsul, with orders to catch him ;
true or false. (Ann. ii. 3. ) Piso, who came to but it was no easy thing to take this wandering
Rome, was accused before the senate of having robber, and Blaesus only seized his brother. Ti-
taken the life of Germanicus. There was strong berius allowed the soldiers to salute Blaesus with
suspicion, but little or no proof; yet Piso, seeing the title of Imperator, and he was the last Roman
that Tiberius gave him no support, released himself citizen, except the emperors, who enjoyed this
by a voluntary death, or was put to death by order ancient distinction. (Tacit. Ann. iii. 74. )
of Tiberius. His wife Plancina, who was guilty if In A. D. 23 Drusus, the son of Tiberius, died,
her husband was, escaped through the influence of being poisoned by the contrivance of Sejanus
Livia. There is certainly strong reason to believe (SEJANUS). His death was no loss to the state,
that in this matter of the death of Germanicus as for he gave indications of a character in no respect
well as of Piso, Tiberius was guilty (Tacit. Ann. better than that of his father ; yet he had lived on
iii. 16), though Tacitus does not pronounce a good terms with Germanicus, and after his death
positive opinion. Tiberius gave Julia, the daughter he had behaved well to his children, or at least had
of his son Drusus, in marriage to Nero, the eldest not displayed any hostility towards them. The
son of Germanicus, which was a popular measure. emperor either did not feel much sorrow for the
He also moderated the penalties which the Lex death of his son or he concealed it ; and when the
Papia, passed in the time of Augustus, imposed on people of Ilium some time after sent him a message
unmarried persons, with the double purpose of of condolence, he returned the compliment by con-
encouraging matrimony and filling the aerarium. doling with them on the death of their fellow-
(Tacit. Ann. iii. 25. )
against wbi
putting his
the island
had been
terus, con
to iniormes
die bs bi
Lanced ;
Weaken op
ters, an
tained the
as the ser
has inet
they had
kr of i
enemies
informer
we of bi
bal wie
Brutus
citizen Hector (Sueton. Tibcr. c. 52). It was re-
The year A. D. 21 was the fourth consulship of marked that the influence of Sejanus over Tiberius
Tiberius, and the second of his son Drusus Caesar, increased after the death of Drusus, and Tiberius
but it was considered a bad omen for Drusus, be began to display the vices of his character more
cause all those who had been his father's colleagues and more. The same was remarked also after the
bet mac
bis deier
be star
the aedi
Aanals
25).
derer
the wal
dedicat
Estive
a great
Sjana
bearing
cinued
VOL
## p. 1121 (#1137) ##########################################
TIBERIUS.
1121
TIBERIUS.
a
Ceath of Germanicus, and again when his mother | death of Sejanus. (Tacit. Ann. iv. 57. ) A great
Liria died. Tiberius allowed the cities of Asia to accident happened at Fidenae in the following
erect a temple to himself and his mother at Smyrna, year: a man named Atilius built a temporary amphi-
the first instance of this flattery which he had theatre, for the exhibition of a show of gladiators,
permitted. But when the province of Hispania but being ill-constructed, it fell down during the
Ulterior asked permission to do the same thing, the games, and twenty thousand people, it is said, were
emperor refused, and stated his reason in an oration killed (Tacit. Ann. iv. 62 ; compare Sueton. Tiber.
to the senate, which is characterised by modesty 40). Atilius was banished. About this time a
and good sense. This singular man had a sound great conflagration destroyed all the buildings on the
judgment, and if we formed our opinion of him Muns Caelius, and the emperor liberally relieved
from his words only, we should place him among the sufferers in proportion to their losses, a measure
the wisest and best of the Roman emperors. His which procured him the good-will of the people.
measures too were often prudent and beneficial ; His dislike of publicity was shown during his re-
and yet such was his insincerity, that we can sidence in Campania, by an edict which cominanded
hardly know when to give him credit even for a the people not to disturb his retirement, and he
good action.
prevented all assemblages of people by placing
Tacfarinas, who had given the Romans so much soldiers in various posts. In order, however, to be-
trouble, was at last defeated and killed by the cure the retirement which he loved, he went (A. D.
proconsul P. Cornelius Dolabella (A. D. 24); but | 27) to the island of Capri (Capreae), which is about
Dolabella did not obtain the triumphal honours, three miles from the promontory of Surrento. This
though with inferior forces he had accomplished retreat was further recommended by having an
that which his predecessors had in vain attempted : almost inaccessible coast. A poor fisherman, who
this was owing to the influence of Sejanus, who had caught a large mullet, with difficulty made his
was unwilling that the glories of his uncle Blaesus way up the rocks to present it to the emperor, who
should be eclipsed by honours conferred on Dola- rewarded him by ordering his face to be well rubbed
bella. The system of delations was now in full with the fish. (Sueton. Tiber. C. 60. )
activity, and Rome witnessed the scandalous spec- The new year (A. D. 28) was opened with the
tacle of a son accusing his father, Q. Vibius Sere- death of Titus Sabinus, a friend of Germanicus,
nus, of a conspiracy against the emperor, without whom Latinius Latiaris had inveigled into very
being able to prove any thing against him. The strong expressions against Sejanus and Tiberius,
abject senate condemned Serenus to death, but while he had placed persons in secret to be wit-
Tiberius used his tribunitian power to prevent the nesses. The villains informed Tiberius of the
execution of the capital sentence, and the man words of Sabinus, and at the same time of their
against whom nothing could be proved even by own treachery. The emperor let the senate know
putting his slaves to the torture, was banished to his wishes, and this servile body immediately put
the island of Amorgus. Caecilius Cornutus, who Sabinus to death, for which they received the
had been charged with being an accomplice of Se- thanks of Tiberius. (Tacit. Ann. iv. 68. ) In this
renus, committed suicide. On this occasion a year Tiberius married Agrippina, a daughter of
motion was made in the senate for giving no reward Germanicus, to Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, and
to informers, if the person accused of treason should the result of this union was the emperor Nero
die by his own hand before sentence was pro- | (NERO). The death of Livia (A. D. 29), the em-
nounced ; but Tiberius, seeing that this would peror's mother, released Tiberius from one cause of
weaken one of his engines of state-craft, in harsh anxiety. He had long been tired of her, because
terms, and contrary to his practice, openly main- she wished to exercise authority, and one object in
tained the cause of the informers ; such a measure leaving Rome was to be out of her way. He did
as the senate proposed would, he said, render the not visit her in her last illness, nor come to the
laws ineffectual and put the state in jeopardy ; funeral, being, as he said, overwhelmed with public
they had better subvert all law than deprive the affairs, he who neglected all important affairs, and
law of its guardians. Tiberius, always fearing devoted himself to his solitary pleasures. (Tacit.
enemies, thought his safety consisted in encouraging Ann. v. 2 ; Dion Cass. lvii. 2. ) Livia's death
informers ; here he spoke out fairly, and revealed gave Sejanus and Tiberius free scope, for Tiberius
one of his secrets of governing. Cremutius Cordus never entirely released himself from a kind of sub-
bad written Annals, in which he had commended jection to his mother, and Sejanus did not venture
Brutus and Cassius : he was accused, and as he to attempt the overthrow of Livia's influence.
had made up his mind to die, he spoke boldly in the destruction of Agrippina and her children was
his defence. After going out of the senate house now the chief purpose of Sejanus, who had his
he starved himself to death; the senate ordered own ambitious projects to serve, as it is shown in
the aediles to search for his works and burn them, his life (SEJANUS ; AGRIPPINA]; he finally got
but all the copies were not discovered, and his from the tyrant the reward that was his just de-
Annals were extant when Tacitus wrote (Ann.
